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The recent appointment of Sanjeev Khirwar as the new MCD Commissioner has brought back his previous infamous anecdotes of misusing his administrative powers. Controversy surrounded Sanjeev Khirwar in 2022 when he allegedly forced athletes to finish practice sessions by 7:00 pm at the Thyagraj Stadium.
Following the controversy, the Union Government took notice and made immediate transfers of Sanjeev Khirwar and his wife Rinku Dhugga. While Khirwar was transferred to Ladakh, Rinku Dhugga was compulsorily retired in August 2023, citing larger public interest.
Many residents have expressed concerns over Sanjeev Khirwar’s appointment, questioning how such a crucial post was given to an officer involved in administrative neglect. The situation raises questions about favouritism, bureaucratic lapses, and accountability in Delhi’s administration.
The recent appointment of Sanjeev Khirwar as the new MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) has brought back his previous infamous anecdotes of misusing his administrative powers. It has raised serious concerns on the deteriorating conditions of MCD’s administration, where citizens have criticised its new decision. Sanjeev Khirwar was mired in controversy three years ago, in 2022, when he walked his dog in the Thyagraj Stadium.
The Thyagram Stadium in New Delhi is owned by the Government of the NCT (National Capital Territory) of Delhi, where professional athletes practice, and take part in national and international sporting competitions.
Sanjeev Khirwar is a 1994-batch IAS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh–Goa–Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre. From 2009 to 2014, he served as the private secretary to the Union Minister for Women and Child Development. He was Delhi's Principal Secretary (Revenue) back in 2022. Controversy surrounded Khirwar when he allegedly forced athletes to finish their practice sessions early, by 7:00 pm, so that he and his wife Rinku Dhugga, also an IAS officer, could walk their dog.
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Several athletes and coaches complained against Khirwar, stating that he misused his administrative powers to disrupt their practice sessions. They also said that the stadium was not for personal use of anybody, it was for training athletes and conducting sporting events. The practice sessions usually lasted till about 8:00 pm or 8:30 pm, under stadium floodlights. However, coaches and athletes claimed that Khirwar’s personal use of the stadium hindered their training progress.
Following the controversy, the Union Government took notice of the issue and made immediate transfer of both Sanjeev Khirwar and Rinku Dugga. While Khirwar was transferred to Ladakh, his wife Rinku Dhugga was transferred to Arunachal Pradesh. However, Rinku Dhugga was made to compulsorily retire by the Union Government in August 2023, citing larger public interest.
She later appealed before the Central Administrative Tribunal in 2024, which ordered her reinstatement to services in August 2025. However, the government challenged the decision later, and official public records do not show her reinstatement at the time.
Sanjeev Khirwar took over his new duties from Thursday, January 22, 2026 as the MCD Commissioner. Previously, Ashwini Kumar, a 1992 IAS batch officer was the MCD commissioner, who has now been transferred to another senior administrative post in Jammu and Kashmir. Many residents have expressed their concerns on Khirwar’s appointment, asking how can such a crucial post be given to an officer who has been involved in administrative neglect?
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is the civic body responsible for managing local administration in Delhi. Its functions include sanitation, waste management, public health, primary education, roads, parks, and municipal services like property tax collection. The Commissioner is the chief executive officer of the MCD, responsible for implementing policies, overseeing daily administration, managing staff and finances, and ensuring efficient delivery of civic services across the city.
On Saturday, January 24, 2024, Sanjeev Khirwar, along with other senior MCD officials, conducted an on-ground inspection of the Okhla landfill site. Later, he held a meeting at the Tehkhand-Oakhla-Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Plant. According to MCD’s official statement, the survey was conducted for assessing on-site progress, streamlining operational processes, and strengthening scientific waste-processing mechanisms to enhance overall efficiency.
While this displays a positive step taken by the MCD, crucial conditions regarding pollution still remain. NewsGram conducted a ground coverage of VP Singh Camp, which lies just next to the Okhla Landfill site. Residents have complained about dirty, contaminated underground water that stemmed from mixing of the garbage waste nearby with the clean underground water. Crows and Vultures fly over the landfill, displaying the toxicity of the area.
This raises a serious concern. What is the Delhi administration going to do about Delhi’s water contamination problem? How is the Okhla Landfill going to be effectively removed? Sanjeev Khirwar’s appointment also raises another question- is the administration favouring some officers according to their convenience? Questions like this persist in the National Capital of the world’s fourth largest economy, which continues to face basic administrative lapses and bureaucratic red tapes.
(GP)
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