Ghazipur Drain Deaths: DDA Claims Misinformation Spread about LG's Role, Area Came Under MCD

New Delhi: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), on Monday, said that misinformation was being spread about the department and the LG Vinai Kumar Saxena concerning the Delhi High Court's order in a case pertaining to the drowning of a mother and her child in an open drain near Ghazipur paper market.

They said the drain where the incident occurred falls under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's jurisdiction.

The High Court on Thursday asked the DDA to pay Rs 20 lakh as compensation to the legal heirs of the mother-son duo who died after falling into a waterlogged open drain here in July.

In a press conference on Friday, AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar slammed the Delhi Lieutenant Governor and the BJP , claiming the mother-son drowned in the DDA drain.

According to a statement by DDA, in response to various allegations and misinformation being spread about the DDA and the LG about the High Court's order of September 5 in the matter of drowning in the open drain near Ghazipur paper market on July 31, the DDA unequivocally reiterates its earlier position.

The DDA has submitted before the High Court its willingness to pay a compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the legal heir of the deceased people -- Tanuja (23) and her son Priyansh (3) -- without prejudice to its rights and contentions, and without admitting any liability on its part, it said.

"The DDA has agreed to pay the compensation purely as a humanitarian gesture. The DDA's stand was that the open drain where this accident occurred falls under the jurisdiction of the MCD. This drain in question, along with 9.9 km of roads, had been transferred by the DDA to the MCD in March 2023 by paying deficiency charges of Rs 26.05 crore. The DDA still maintains the same stand," the statement read.

The High Court also ordered that the trial court would continue its proceedings uninfluenced by the orders issued by it. Vested interests spreading baseless misinformation are advised to refrain from any misleading rhetoric, it said.

The DDA categorically denies the allegations made by representatives of a political party in this regard, the statement added.

Kakkar had demanded the LG's resignation over the issue, charging he and the BJP defamed the AAP by saying that the deaths occurred due to the drowning in a party-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi area.

"It has been proved in the High Court that the drain belongs to the DDA, yet LG did not take any action against guilty officials. The High Court has reprimanded DDA and ordered to give compensation to the victim's family," she had claimed.

(with PTI inputs)