In order to deal with water-logging in the city during monsoon, the Delhi Government has decided to install GPS-enabled tracking devices in portable water pumps. The decision is said to be first of its kind move to effectively deal with the problem. The move is aimed at ensuring proper accountability of temporary mobile pumps to drain out stagnant water.
Delhi PWD Minister Satyendar Jain has directed officers that the location of the temporary mobile pumps along with their capacity and specification should be uploaded on the department's website, a senior official said.
“The decision was taken at a recent meeting chaired by the minister. He has directed that the temporary mobile pumps should be fitted with GPS so that the pumps can be monitored properly. The password of the GPS trackers should be given to higher authorities for proper monitoring,” the official said.
The official said the department has started working out modalities for introducing the new system in the national capital.
Every monsoon, people in Delhi face water-logging problem, while the authorities often blame each other for not dealing with the issue properly.
According to officials, GPS-enabled trackers would help keep a tab of the location of the pumps and if the need arises following complaints of water-logging, nearby portable water pumps can be shifted there.
In the meeting, which was chaired by the PWD minister, the officials concerned were also directed that de-silting data, details of pumps, manpower and other relevant data must be regularly updated on the department's website.
last year, de-silting of drains had become a contentious issue between the AAP government and the bureaucrats.
The Delhi Assembly's Petitions Committee had recommended the chief secretary to divest the then principal secretary Ashwani Kumar of his charge in the Public Works Department and Vigilance Department, and to conduct a “detailed inquiry… to fix responsibility for false claims” of de-silting of drains.