As the waterlogging situation prevails in parts of Delhi following incessant rainfall early Friday, Lieutenant Governor (LG) V.K. Saxena directed officials to set up an emergency control room to address the issue. He addressed an emergency meeting held today (June 28) with the Delhi government to take stock of the situation after heavy rains left the national capital waterlogged. During the meeting, LG Saxena also issued orders to the revenue department to activate the disaster response cell under the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in case of excessive rainfall.
Meanwhile, the meeting came amid the the season's first spell of rain, which once again brought back memories of past encounters with waterlogged roads, underpasses, vehicles stuck in water, and long traffic jams, with many residents expressing frustration over the city's drainage infrastructure.
Details of the meeting
According to the officials, the Delhi LG took serious note of the "lack of preparedness" for emergency response system in the eventuality of excessive rainfall and resultant waterlogging across Delhi. He instructed for the establishment of an emergency control room to be to be manned 24x7.
"Senior officials from all the concerned departments to be deputed and all static pumps of PWD, I&FC, MCD, DDA and NDMC be tested and made functional with a matrix of field staff deployed for energizing pumps on a 24x7 basis. Mobile pumps must be utilized as and when required. Additional pumps should be procured and deployed in low lying areas, particularly unauthorized colonies historically prone to waterlogging and underpasses and tunnels," ordered the Delhi LG.
He further instructed that I&FCD to regularly be in touch with their counterparts in Haryana and upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh to assess rainfall levels, discharges from Hathnikund barrage and the Revenue department to activate the disaster response cell under DDMA in the eventuality of excessive rainfall.
"Delhi LG also asked the Power department to ensure that DISCOMS take preventive measures to ensure that there are no naked wires prone to short circuit in their jurisdiction. The LG also asked all senior officers on leave should be asked to report back on duty immediately and no leave to be sanctioned for the next two months," the officials said.
BJP slams AAP over waterlogging situation
Significantly, a war of words has erupted between the ruling AAP government and the BJP. To highlight the serious lapse in infrastructure and take a dig at AAP, BJP Councillor Ravinder Singh Negi rowed a boat on a waterlogged street earlier today. "For the past month, we have been fighting to get the PWD drains cleaned, but the Delhi government did nothing. As a result, today, the entire city is flooded, and no arrangements have been made by the government," he said.
The BJP leader also attacked Delhi minister Atishi, who was on an indefinite fast over water scarcity in the national capital, saying, "Delhi government ministers are protesting about the water crisis, but on the other hand, they are not doing anything about the waterlogging situation. Drains are overflowing because they didn't get them cleaned ahead of the monsoon."
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