Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar has directed all the departments concerned not to make payments to contractors engaged for desilting of drains unless a third-party audit of such wok is completed.

The move has come in the wake of the tragic deaths of three civil services aspirants after water from a flooded drain gushed into the library of the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar on Saturday.

In reply to a note written to him by Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, the chief secretary said that the additional chief secretary (urban development) has been directed to provide a factual note along with information sought by the minister over third-party audit of desilting of drains by various agencies.

The Urban Development Department wrote to all the departments on May 27 for third-party audit of desilting work, in compliance of high court order.

Kumar said that all the departments concerned have been directed not to release any payment to any contractor engaged in desilting of drains unless such work is duly verified through third-party audit.

Bharadwaj in a note to the chief secretary on Tuesday sought explanation on his claim of pending decisions related to drainage in the city.

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