HC pulls up Delhi chief secretary over water-logging

The Delhi High Court Wednesday pulled up the city chief secretary over water logging in the capital during the monsoon.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog slammed the city government, saying nothing was happening in the city as per the master plan.

The court had summoned the chief secretary after the authorities failed to submit a report on short and long-term measures to tackle water-logging in the city.

During the hearing, the bench told the chief secretary: "Nothing is happening according to the master plan. What are you doing? Have you seen in what condition people are living in Delhi?"

"We are living in an age of science and technology and you are not able to deal with water-logging and de-silting in the national capital," the bench said.

The court posted the matter for Aug 20, saying it will decide the issue on the next date of hearing.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by various NGOs and residents' welfare associations, which had pointed out the difficulties faced by Delhi residents during the rainy season due to water-logging.

The chief secretary told the court that the government needed to seek a lot of permission from various departments to work and that these departments generally do not cooperate.

The court suggested that the government take help from the archaeological department and the Professor Gosain committee.

A.K. Gosain, a professor of IIT-Delhi, headed a panel tasked to create a report on short and long term measures to tackle water-logging.

The panel had suggested that one of the most effective short-term measures was the de-silting of storm drains.

It also said it will start assessment of the present drainage infrastructure to formulate long-term measures to avoid flooding, once the requisite data is made available.

The panel also alleged that the concerned government department was not cooperating with it on providing data, maps and other details during its study on Delhi's drainage master plan.