Delhi underground

Low on corruption scale
For the last two months now,the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has been receiving flak from all quarters for various reasons,like the non-desilting of drains,inadequate preparations for the rains and above all,for incompetence. So much so that the Home ministry has even proposed that the civic body be brought under the state government. In the midst of all the criticism,the civic body has found reason to cheer — in the recent list of 123 corrupt public officials released by the Central Vigilance Committee,only 11 MCD officials have found mention.

High and dry at airport
While there is no municipal supply of water to the Indira Gandhi International Airport,Delhi Jal Board CEO Ramesh Negi said the agency has agreed to provide at least 5 million gallons per day to the airport once the new terminal,T3,starts functioning next year. While senior officials fear a terrible summer and deficient water supply,Negi said the additional 80 MGD water,supposed to come with the commissioning of the Munak Canal,was expected to be the only saving grace. Officials in Haryana have been making it clear now and then that the state will not release any additional water. Officials in Delhi have therefore pinned hopes on ‘negotiations’ with Haryana once their elections get over.

Once bitten,twice shy
Having burned their hands due to negative campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi,the BJP is confused on how to react to the Delhi government’s partial taking over of the MCD. BJP president O P Kohli has told colleagues not to take protests to streets,stressing that Delhi should not feel that the BJP is anti-development and anti-reform.

NDMC’s smart idea
Despite the recent setbacks suffered by the Delhi Metro,there is no dearth of followers of its technology. The New Delhi Municipal Council,taking cue from the Metro Smart Cards,is now planning to launch NDMC Smart Cards for its employees. These cards propose to be an open entry ticket for all facilities,like the office building and library. But with only a few people ever venturing into the library,not many are amused. “Suppose I forget to bring my card,won’t I be allowed to work?” said an employee.

Under wraps
Teachers of Central Universities want to go on an agitation over the service conditions that the Thyagarajan Committee has recommended,but the fact that the recommendations have not been made public yet is an obstacle for them. They are of course privy to the contents of the report,thanks to UGC “sources”,but cannot make their knowledge public. This conundrum has led them to declare that they are agitating because the Committee refused to take their suggestions seriously. For example,in a letter written to the UGC chairman,teachers’ representatives have criticised the newly-proposed “Academic Progression Indexing” (API) in detail. When contacted,they however,claimed that they did not even know what API stood for and that “it was some sort of point system”.

Tailor-made problem
Park renovation,CP restoration and street beautification: The NDMC has all its plans in the right place for the Commonwealth Games except for one decision it is unable to make. The civic body is dithering over the colour of the T-shirts to be worn by its employees during the Games. The other problem is of a standard size that ‘should’ fit all. Between meetings and decisions,employees are debating on what colour and size to select. Perhaps they could have taken help from the fashion weeks organised in the city.

Relief from press corps
A day after the second Metro train derailment last Sunday,officials of the DMRC’s public relations team stayed away from office on account of a field visit to IGI Airport. The team described the full-day trip as an exchange of ideas with the airport’s private operator and developer,DIAL,for better public relation policies. Actually,as part of the exchange of ideas,the DMRC team visited the upcoming terminal T3 and met for lunch. For the team,along with a tip or two on how to handle the press,the trip meant respite from members of the media,who repeatedly kept calling the officials to know details of the derailment.