Fix accountability to ensure timely cleaning, de-silting of

Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal today sought area-wise report on de-silting of drains and installation of water pumps to deal with the problem of water-logging in the national capital
He also stressed on fixing the responsibility of drains section-wise on the engineers concerned to ensure "improved accountability" on them with regard to their timely cleaning and disposal of silt.
Baijal, during a meeting with all stakeholders in which Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and PWD minister Satyendra Jain were also present, directed all stakeholders to have an "empirical database" of all such action points for improved analysis that should lead to better long-term solutions.

During the monsoon season, Delhiites had to face the problem of water-logging which often lead to long traffic jams in several areas.
Baijal stressed that section-wise responsibility of drains should be fixed so that there is improved accountability of the concerned engineers with regard to their timely cleaning and disposal of silt, a statement from the LG office said.
"The Lt Governor also sought area wise report of de- silting and installation of pumps. He also instructed agencies/stakeholders to have an empirical database of all such action points for improved analysis that should lead to better long-term solutions," it said.

In the meeting, both Baijal and Kejriwal also stressed to leverage latest technology and asked the Public Works Department (PWD) to explore the possibility of deploying a greater number of super-sucker machines, so that the silt can be directly removed from the drains and its re-entry is prevented.

Meanwhile, Jain said that the PWD has received about 300 complaints through its whatsapp helpline.
Baijal was informed by the engineer-in-chief (PWD) that the department has identified 155 locations vulnerable to water-logging and arrangement has been made to control the situation.
Further, the PWD has taken long-term solutions for 53 earlier vulnerable locations by providing additional or modifying existing drains as required, the engineer-in-chief said.

Around 370 vulnerable points, provided by the traffic police, have been examined and action has been taken to prevent water-logging in those areas that fall under PWD jurisdiction, besides coordinating with other agencies for 58 points pertaining to them, he said.