With the ‘Gujarat Model’ of development being one of the most talked about topic during the election campaign, the Delhi Government has sent three teams to Gujarat to study successful projects in various fields. Three specific teams, including one from the Delhi Police, have been sent on a two-day tour to study successful projects in the field of electricity generation through solar power, Sabarmati riverfront project and CCTV-based city surveillance system. The move has, however, courted controversy with the Aam Aadmi Party questioning the decision taken by the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi to send top bureaucrats to Gujarat stating that “the much hyped and faulty Gujarat model of development has been taken at a wrong time and will not be of any help for the people”. On the other hand the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders welcomed the decision saying that the decision should have been taken long back. Former Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta even sent a long note on Thursday elucidating the ‘finer points’ of the Gujarat model. Top bureaucrats including Principal Secretary (Power), Secretary (Environment and Forest), Executive Officer of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Management Centre, representatives of the power discoms and Delhi Transco are visiting Ahmedabad to study the solar power project and feasibility of implementing such projects here. Another team comprising Delhi Jal Board CEO, Delhi Parks & Gardens Society CEO, Addl. Commissioner (Landscape), DDA and Chief Engineer of Irrigation & Flood Control will study the Sabarmati Riverfront Project and suggest how the concept can be used for effective implementation of Yamuna River Front Development Scheme in Delhi, officials said. A third team comprising senior Delhi Police officers like Special Commissioner of Police (Operations), Joint Commissioner (Traffic) and DCP (Communication) has been sent to Surat to study the CCTV based city surveillance system. Officials said the system has been helpful in prevention and detection of crime. AAP criticises move Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party questioned the decision stating that “at a time when the people of Delhi are facing hardships due to power cuts, water shortage and even disruption in Metro services in this scorching summer, the L-G has chosen to send senior bureaucrats to study the subjects, which could have been analysed at a later stage”. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also questioned the decision to send teams to study the Sabarmati river project. “The AAP would like to draw attention towards a recent report by the noted environmental organisation – the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) – that Sabarmati is the third most polluted river of the country. The study was part of the water quality monitoring programme of the Central Pollution Control Board, which had monitored as many as 1,109 stations in 27 States and six union territories,” the party said in a statement.