Defunct tube wells leaving Delhi parks parched, says LoP Iqbal

Leader of the Opposition in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and former Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh on Thursday raised alarm over the deteriorating condition of parks across the city, blaming the AAP-led administration for neglecting basic maintenance work. He said defunct tube wells in parks across all MCD zones had disrupted irrigation, leading to drying grass and dust, a growing contributor to Delhi’s air pollution.

“In Keshavpuram Zone, tube wells in 94 parks are non-functional, and the grass is drying up. This not only ruins public green spaces but also worsens pollution when the dried grass turns into airborne dust,” Singh said.

He accused the AAP government of failing to put in place a summer action plan for park upkeep and claimed that no meetings were held to address the seasonal needs of the city’s green areas.

“There is no initiative, no planning. This negligence will cost Delhi its lungs,” he said, urging the Mayor to immediately convene a meeting to address the issue.

The Opposition leader also pointed to the delay in the formation of key MCD committees, including the standing committee and the garden committee as further evidence of administrative paralysis under the AAP.

“The neglect of the park infrastructure is yet another example of how the AAP has damaged the functioning of the MCD,” he added.

Yogesh Verma, chairman of Keshavpuram Zone, echoed Singh’s concerns and alleged that the AAP government had deliberately withheld funds earmarked for park maintenance. “There are no resources left, not even to water the plants. This is the result of poor governance and misplaced priorities,” Verma said.

As Delhi braces for peak summer, civic officials and residents are raising concerns over the impact of neglected green spaces on the urban health and air quality, particularly in already congested

localities.

Delhi