CAG orders audit of flood control, drainage system in Delhi

Comptroller and Auditor General Shashi Kant Sharma has ordered audit of the flood control measures and the drainage system in the capital on priority basis.

The decision to audit the working of flood control mechanism in Delhi was taken in "view of the recent heavy rains which caused serious traffic jams besides flooding of residential areas and airport", sources in the CAG said.

The CAG audit, which will cover the period ending March 2013, will look into different schemes implemented by the Delhi government for flood control and drainage system.

The auditors, sources said, will also seek information on "internal control framework" in the government to deal with situation arising from rains.

The CAG will look into the Delhi government's survey to identify vulnerable areas and corrective action taken to deal with the situation.

Auditors will scrutinise the working of response mechanism in the government to meet the unforeseen situation arising from floods and water logging, sources added.

In addition, the CAG will look into the mechanism to coordinate working of various departments like MCD, NDMC, Flood Control Department, PWD, DJB.

According to sources, the audit will also report on the standard operating procedure adopted by the government and system of considering the meteorological department warning and preparedness of the city for facing the situation. It will also look into the system of alerting the public about the same.

Recent heavy rains invariably cause massive traffic jams in Delhi due to water logging, reflecting the civic bodies' lack of preparedness.

In June this year, heavy downpour also led to water logging at IGI airport, causing inconvenience to passengers as they had to wade through knee deep water. The airport had witnessed similar incident of flooding in September 2011.