'Take strict action against officials who skipped meet', Pal writes to Lok Sabha Speaker

New Delhi [India], Nov 18 (ANI): Days after Members of Parliament and senior bureaucrats gave the Parliament's standing committee on Urban Development headed by Jagdambika Pal a miss, the BJP MP wrote to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla demanding strict action against the erring officials.

The alleged laxity of the officers in dealing with the prevailing pollution that has engulfed the national capital has been brought to the knowledge of the Speaker by the senior BJP leader and chairman, Parliament standing Committee on Urban Development.

The chairman has, in a letter to the Speaker, sought necessary and stringent action against the officials who did not attend the meeting last week, sources said.

The meeting was summoned by Pal to discuss the worsening air quality in the national capital.

It is understood that the standing committee chairman also called on the Lok Sabha Speaker to make him aware of the prevailing situation and alleged laxity of the officials.

The letter has mentioned the erring officials by name, including C K Mishra, secretary Environment, forest and climate change, three municipal corporation commissioners -- Varsha Joshi, commissioner NDMC, Dilraj Kaur, commissioner EDMC, Gyanesh Bharti, commissioner SDMC and Nikhil Kumar, CEO Delhi Jal Board.

The BJP MP has mentioned the name of Tarun Kapoor, DDA vice-chairman as well in his letter to the Speaker.

The national capital has been witnessing worsening air quality over the past few weeks, forcing the state and Union governments to introduce a slew of measures to improve air quality.

Several meetings of top officials have also been summoned by various departments and ministries to propose remedial steps to improve air quality.

Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir too faced flak for being absent from the meeting called to address air pollution as his pictures of enjoying jalebis in Indore went viral. Aam Admi Party had accused Gambhir of neglecting his constituency.