The Delhi High Court Tuesday slammed the civic agencies of Delhi for not taking steps to desilt drains and prevent waterlogging during rains, and asked them to present maps related to the drainage system by Aug 28.
The municipal corporations and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) failed to file a status report on the measures taken by them to prevent waterlogging. It was second time when the agencies failed to file the status report with the court.
A division bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Vipin Sanghi came down heavily on the civic agencies and said: “Drains must be clear. There are no short-term measures to stop waterlogging in the city. If you don’t know the number of drains in the area, how will you clean them?”
“Our job is not to perform duty on your behalf. Our duty is to ensure that you perform the duty,” the bench said, noting that the civic agencies were not performing their duty.
The civic agency claimed that long-term plans were there as per the Master Plan 2021 to solve the problem.
The court said: “Year after year waterlogging problem occurs. You cannot ask citizens to wait for implementation of your long-term plans.”
The court asked the civic agencies to place on record the maps related to drains by next week.
The order came while hearing a contempt plea filed by an NGO charging the civic agencies with non-compliance of the court’s July 11 order, which directed them to take steps to end the problem of waterlogging in Delhi in 15 days.
NGO Nyaya Bhoomi president B.B. Sharan asked the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the officials of the civic bodies.
Counsel for the NDMC said no complaint of waterlogging was reported in its area.
