Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena conducted inspections of three major drains in the Nizamuddin area on Sunday, expressing his dismay over their “appalling and shameful” conditions, which he said contradicted the responsible agencies’ claims of having desilted them. The Barapullah, Kushak, and Sunehri drains, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), were found to have significant obstructions.
Reacting to the situation, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) laid the blame on Chief Secretary Naresh Sharma, demanding action against him. Mr. Saxena, taking to social media platform X, emphasized the need for “urgent corrective measures” to ensure the smooth flow of water to prevent flooding. He noted that only a fraction of the bays under the culverts at Barapulla, Sunehri, and Kushak drains were open, with the majority being completely clogged, significantly reducing their water-carrying capacities. This blockage, he warned, leads to backflow and flooding in surrounding colonies.
AAP pointed out that the Delhi High Court had previously appointed the Chief Secretary as the chairperson of the integrated drain management cell and tasked him with verifying the desilting claims through a third-party audit, which they allege he neglected. The party accuses the L-G of engaging in “lip service” and “dirty politics,” criticizing his timing as the monsoon season nears its end.
In a statement, AAP suggested that it would have been more effective if the L-G had taken action against the Chief Secretary, the PWD Secretary, and other officials involved in the oversight. They urged the L-G to take decisive action against Chief Secretary Sharma, warning that failure to do so would render the inspection a mere “photo opportunity” and a display of “blatant politics.”
Ensuring effective water management during monsoon is critical, and this inspection has cast a spotlight on the need for timely and transparent actions to prevent urban flooding in Delhi.
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/war-over-drains-gets-murkier-as-saxena-govt-continue-to-spar/article68485551.ece
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