Waterlogging: HC raps civic bodies

The Delhi high court on Thursday pulled up the civic agencies and other public bodies for their failure to stop waterlogging in the city this monsoon and directed their heads to fix responsibility on the officers and make them accountable.

“We want results, not words. We are not impressed by the affidavits. There should not have been waterlogging after the assurance given by the civic and other agencies to court on July 24...” a division bench of acting Chief Justice B. D. Ahmed and Justice Vibhu Bakhru said during hearing of a PIL.

“MCD commissioners to fix the responsibilities on deputy commissioners ( DC) in charge of each zone to ensure that there is no waterlogging. In case, the DCs failed to carry out the mandate, the MCD commissioners are to take disciplinary action against them,” it said. The court sought an affidavit within four weeks from the corporations indicating the role played by the municipal magistrates and directions given by them time to time.

It also asked public works department to fix responsibilities on the superintending engineers in each circle. The court also directed Delhi Jal Board chief engineer to conduct a survey to find out if there is any mixing of sewer lines with storm water drains.

The court also sought an affidavit from NDMC, which claimed that July 20 waterlogging in some areas for 15 minutes was sorted out and there will not be any such problem in future.

Expressing anguish over the failure to desilt storm water drains in compliance with its previous order, the bench asked Delhi government’s urban development secretary to file an affidavit within a week.

Meanwhile, IIT professor A. K. Gosain, who is also a member of the courtappointed expert committee to deal with the problem, suggested some longterm measures to overcome the problem. The court asked the government to act within three months upon his suggestions.