Minister orders action against 3 erring officers

New Delhi, June 19

Delhi Urban Development (UD) Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Wednesday directed the Chief Executive Officer of Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to take appropriate action against three senior officers who didn’t comply with the minister’s direction to inspect shelters for homeless.

Officials said the report of 90 shelter homes was supposed to be submitted by June 18 but no such report was received.

Earlier this month, the minister had directed the CEO of DUSIB to assign three senior officers to conduct surprise inspections of at least five homeless shelters each day and submit the list of deficiencies found to him by June 18.

The officers were instructed to ensure arrangements are made for water dispensers and water-based air coolers in shelter homes. Bharadwaj, in an official communication, wrote that the night shelters managed by private agencies are paid for their services and should operate without fail.

“If services lapse and officers are complacent, senior officers must conduct surprise inspections to identify deficiencies, ensuring accountability of both the agencies and DUSIB officers,” he added.

Meanwhile, Bharadwaj, who is the Health Minister, conducted an emergency meeting with heads of hospitals on Wednesday. He chaired a meeting with heads of all major hospitals regarding heat stroke patients.

An official said police patrolling teams would be requested to help in shifting homeless individuals to shelter homes in case they are found on a footpath.

The department will send a communication to the Delhi Police Commissioner requesting their patrolling teams to call ambulances if they spot any destitute running high fever or who are sick, the official added.

The minister also directed hospitals to increase bed capacity for patients with heat-related illnesses and issue fresh advisories through radio and newspapers. He has also written to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) about the prolonged absence of Secretary (Health) SB Deepak Kumar.

“Instead of making arrangements for an unprecedented heatwave, the head of the Health department has gone on leave until July 13 without the minister’s permission,” the minister wrote.

“In my last communication, I had requested the MHA to take disciplinary action against Kumar; however, I have not received any update on this matter,” he added.