Kejriwal irked at unhygienic transit camp

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday pulled up officials of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and a private builder over poor living conditions at a transit camp for dwellers of Kathputli Colony.

The chief minister lashed out at the executives of DDA and the builder who are redeveloping the colony of artisans at west Delhi, during a visit to the camp at Anand Parvat.

Kejriwal was accompanied by Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain and DCW chief Swati Maliwal.

The AAP supremo got angry after he noticed the "unhygienic conditions" at the camp, which houses around 1,200 families.

During his visit, Kejriwal rang up the top officials of the private developer and sought an explanation over the poor state of affairs. The camp is located around 2 km away from the colony. Apart from stinking toilets, the chief minister also found the roofs of the one-room units made of corrugated panels leaking.

"Is this cleanliness? Can you use this toilet? Can your family stay in these rooms? You think these people are animals? " he said. The residents of the colony also complained of water shortage.

Kejriwal, who holds the water portfolio, said 40 tankers of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) would supply water to the colony from Saturday. The transit camp has 2,800 one-room units made of corrugated panels with 40 mobile toilets and 200 fixed toilets.

It also has four tanks of 50 kl capacity each and a sewage water treatment plant. CCTV cameras are everywhere and visitors are allowed after much enquiry.