CM Rekha Gupta expresses grief over child’s death in open drain; JE dismissed

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death of a child who fell into an open drain in the Mukundpur area of Bhalswa Dairy in Outer North Delhi.

Describing the incident as “extremely distressing and alarming,” the Chief Minister said that such negligence is unacceptable under any circumstances.

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Acting swiftly on her directives, the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department dismissed the contractual Junior Engineer concerned from service with immediate effect.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to public safety, particularly that of children, Gupta issued strict instructions to all departments to identify open drains and other hazardous sites within their jurisdictions and ensure their immediate rectification.

She emphasized that direct accountability would be fixed in cases of negligence, warning that stringent action would be taken against officials found responsible.

Expressing condolences, the Chief Minister said the government stands firmly with the bereaved family in this difficult time and stressed that preventing such incidents in the future would be the true tribute to the child.

The incident has once again highlighted recurring safety concerns in several parts of Outer Delhi, where open drains, uncovered manholes, and pits pose serious risks—especially during the monsoon, when waterlogging makes such hazards difficult to detect.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Department (PWD) is undertaking multiple projects aimed at constructing and improving major trunk drains in areas such as Rohtak Road to mitigate such risks.

Earlier in the day, CM Gupta also met families affected by the recent fire tragedy in Vivek Vihar that claimed nine lives. Expressing solidarity, she assured them of full government support and assistance.

In a message shared on social media, Gupta said the incident should serve as a grave warning, adding that all departments have been directed to strictly enforce fire safety norms and ensure that there is no compromise or negligence in maintaining safety standards.