The Hindu 13.07.2012
Notice to civic agencies on de-silting of drains
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the
New Delhi Municipal Council and the three new municipal bodies in the
erstwhile MCD areas on a petition by a non-government organisation
seeking directions to the civic bodies to de-silt drains for proper
drainage of rainwater during the monsoon to prevent water-logging in the
city.
Directing the respondents to file status
reports within a fortnight after taking measures to de-silt the drains
on the petition by Nyaya Bhoomi, a Division Bench of the Court
comprising Justice S. K. Kaul and Justice Vipin Sanghi fixed September 6
as the next date for further hearing of the case.
Meanwhile,
the Bench allowed advocate Gaurav Bansal to implead him as a
co-petitioner in the matter. He has also sought directions to the
Capital’s civic bodies to take effective measures to deal with
water-logging in the city.
He said that the civic
bodies normally do not make advance preparations for dealing with the
problem which had been a recurrent feature in the Capital during the
rainy season in the past.
He said that according to
the information provided to him by the Public Works Department of the
Delhi Government on an application under the Right to Information Act,
there were as many as 41 identified water-logging prone spots in the
city.
South Extension, Moolchand underpass, Ashram
chowk, Dhaula Kuan underpass, ISBT Kashmiri Gate exit, Stadium Gate near
Siri Fort Road, Ring Road bypass were some of places of the 41
identified places where water-logging occur during the rainy season due
to the faulty drainage system and deposit of silt in the drains, the
petitioner submitted.
Though the responsibility of
construction and maintenance of the large drains was of the Irrigation
and Flood Control Department of the Delhi Government, but the removal of
the silt was the duty of the municipal bodies, the petitioner
submitted.
