In order to control flood by coordinated efforts among various agencies, the Delhi Government has taken up several measures to prevent water-logging in the Capital during the monsoon. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has called for setting up of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to clean the city's drains and prevent waterlogging on roads in the national Capital.
Sisodia on Monday chaired a meeting of the apex committee to review measures taken to control flood in the city and released the 'flood control order 2018' under which a central flood control room has been set up to deal with waterlogging and flood-like situation in the city.
Sisodia, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satyendar Jain and Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) Minister Gopal Rai will oversee the work related to flood control measures in all 11 districts of Delhi.
The monsoon is expected to surround Delhi on June 29, its normal onset date for the national Capital. During the monsoon season, Delhi witnesses waterlogging on roads and different agencies blame each other and passing the buck every year for not taking concrete steps to prevent the situation.
Addressing a gathering, Sisodia said the process of cleaning the drains being used by the PWD and the MCDs in most of the cases is very “primitive”. “There is multiplicity of agencies in Delhi as far as cleaning of drains is concerned. We must try for a SPV for better coordination and cleaning,” he said.
He said garbage from drains are kept on roadside and are then taken away when they dry up, adding that in the process a part of the garbage again goes back into the drain.”It is done nowhere in the world. We must move to modern technology,” he said, adding that one of the solutions is the use of super suckers.
He urged officers to ensure the drains area cleaned at the earliest. At the meeting, Divisional Commissioner Manisha Saxena said municipal corporation commissioners should allow disposal of silt, removed from drains by various departments at the sites, to ensure that the silt does not flow back into drains during rainfall.
Representatives from all departments and civic agencies such as I&FC, Delhi Development Authority, PWD, New Delhi Municipal Council, east, north and south Delhi Municipal Corporations, Delhi Transport Corporation, Delhi Jal Board, BSES, MTNl, Delhi Police and DDMA will be part of the control room to mitigate issues related to their departments during the monsoon season.
According to the Government, the Flood Control Department has started a round the clock control room to deal and mitigate any problem related to heavy rain and floods. It will receive complaints related to water logging and drain congestion and will convey the same to the concerned department for immediate redressal, a department circular said. People can register their complaints on phone (22428773 and 22428774). The control room will continue its operations till October 15.
The key points for monsoon preparation stated that all district magistrates and SDMs will be vigilant and responsive in the unlikely event of flood if the Yamuna crosses the danger mark, according to an official statement.
All municipal corporations, New Delhi Municipal Council, Delhi Development Authority should ensure prompt remedial action in case of drainage congestion on account of heavy rain, it stated
All stakeholders responsible for cleaning drains in the city presented the measures being taken by them to overcome problems of water-logging & flooding and preparedness to deal with any eventuality during the current flood season.
The official further said all municipal corporations, NDMC, DDA to ensure prompt remedial action in case of drainage congestion on account of heavy rains. “PWD and irrigation & Flood Control Department to work in coordination specially to deal with floor mitigation measures at certain locations which have been identified as critical/vulnerable point during flood of higher magnitude or during heavy rainfall,” he said.
However, officials of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation said 90 per cent desilting work has been done and 50 per cent of dry silt is lifted. “The remaining will be taken away as soon as possible,” he said. While officials of the north and South Corporation claimed that more than 90 percent of desilting works is completed in their areas.
A senior SDMC official said that officials have been directed to focus on areas such as Dhansa Road at Najafgarh, Sangam Vihar, lajpat Nagar underpass, Kushak Nallah, Sunhari Nallah, Mehrauli, Defence Colony, where waterlogging commonly occurs every year.