The Indian Express 15.04.2013
Municipal agencies put monsoon action plan in motion to prevent waterlogging
After the Lieutenant-Governor expressed his concern over the lack of
preparations ahead of the monsoon season — to prevent cases of clogged
drains and waterlogging — the commissioners of all three municipal
corporations have asked officials to prepare weekly status reports on
monsoon preparations.
The officials have been asked to work in coordination with other
agencies concerned to ensure that residents do not face problems of
waterlogging this season.
The corporations have also set in motion the work on their ‘Monsoon Action Plan’.
The officials have been asked to contact their counterparts in
other agencies such as Delhi Development Authority, New Delhi Municipal
Council, Delhi Cantonment Board, Irrigation and Flood department, Delhi
Jal Board, Railways, BSES-RPL, BSES-YPL, NDPL (now Tata), Public Works
Department and Central Public Works Department to prevent instances of
waterlogging.
“We have been asked to coordinate inter-departmental meetings for monsoon preparedness as well,” a senior official said.
In the meetings, status reports on de-silting of major drains
were discussed. “All chief engineers were directed to assess the
requirements of pumps and send their demand for requirements to the
departments concerned as soon as possible,” the official said.
“We are also working on the feasibility of preparing a zonal map
marking the drains at their accurate locations. All officers concerned
were directed to take pre-monsoon measures like proper de-silting of
drains, cleaning of bell mouths, sump wells, feeding drains, functioning
of pump sets, pump stations, availability of manpower as well as fuel
and electricity supply at pumping stations before the onset of the
monsoons to handle the problem of water logging effectively,” the
official said.
Directions have been given to ensure proper maintenance of JCBS
and suction machines as preventive measures. The officials have also
been asked to make proper arrangements and be ready for any emergency.
“Gunny bags filled with earth, empty drums for barricading, road metal
like brick ballast, lime for quick repair of roads and manhole covers
should be in storage to make the preparation effective,” the official
said.
