LG asks officials to ensure complete desilting of drains

Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal today directed the officials to intensify field visits to ensure that desilting of drains was done in proper manner to prevent water-logging in the city during monsoon season.
Baijal, who today held a high-level meeting to review the progress of desilting of drains, also directed traffic police to deploy more personnel in the areas prone to water-logging to ease the traffic.
Besides, he said that adequate number of functional water pump sets should be deployed in the 370 areas identified as prone to water-logging.
"In the meeting, the LG stated that all concerned field engineers or functionaries be sensitised to initiate immediate necessary action for remaining de-silting of drains," a statement from the LG office said.

It also said that the officials concerned were also directed to ensure that the drains must be properly connected to sewage lines so that there is proper discharge of water in the sewage system.
"PWD, DJB and local bodies were directed by the LG to lay down a proper operating procedure for this so that there are no complaints of dysfunctional pumps or absence of authorised manpower at the time of need," the statement said.

Baijal directed that in case of non-functioning of red lights due to water-logging, traffic police should be urgently deployed to clear the congestion at the earliest.

The LG asked the traffic police to keep its fleet of the recovery vans operational and as close to vulnerable stretches as possible for quick action.
He also stressed upon the need of creating Quick Response Teams (QRTs) to handle cases of breakdown that otherwise lead to massive snarls.
He instructed that all revenue officers including District Magistrates will inspect and see the status of de- silting, availability of pumps in working condition etc.