AAP gag on construction proposals, project works

New Delhi: Barring officers from sharing information regarding construction proposals and other project works in the national capital, the AAP government has warned them that any breach in the matter would attract disciplinary action.

This is not the first occasion when the AAP government has issued directions in connection with sharing of information with the media. Earlier also, the government had made it clear that any anonymous quote by any official would be construed to be a “figment of imagination of the media.”

The government had told the media to only quote authorised persons or official spokespersons. The latest directions, issued specifically to the public works department (PWD), have been given in wake of a section of media quoting officials on condition of anonymity regarding some construction works. An advisory to this effect has been issued with the approval of the PWD engineer-in-chief of the city government.

The advisory said that in view of some newspaper articles regarding new construction proposals and ongoing projects wherein PWD officers have been quoted anonymously, “all concerned are advised to strictly refrain from sharing any information/opinion/views in any form with the media which may tantamount to violate the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, and attract any disciplinary action.”

The PWD recently hogged the headlines when Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari claimed that there was a “scam” of Rs 2,000 crore in the construction of classrooms for Delhi government schools, an allegation rejected by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who dared the Lok Sabha MP to arrest him if such irregularities existed.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who is the in-charge of the education department, also lashed out at Mr Tiwari, saying the BJP Delhi chief should get him arrested if he was guilty or apologise for “lying” to the poor people whose children are getting education in good quality schools of the Delhi government.