New Delhi, Aug 28 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Tuesday asked the state government to constitute a committee of senior officers from various authorities to evolve a mechanism to desilt drains and prevent waterlogging during rains.
A division bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Vipin Sanghi directed the government that the committee have senior officers from various concerned authorities.
The committee would include officers of the trifurcated Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and irrigation department.
The bench said, “Hold the discussion. All the heads of corporations and stakeholders should form a committee including experts so that every time people don’t have to rush to court over the issue of waterlogging.”
The court also added that the committee to be constituted by the government should hold frequent meetings. It said, “The committee should hold frequent meetings for short term measures to address the problem of waterlogging.”
Standing counsel Najmi Waziri was also directed to inform the court within one week about the structure of the committee.
The bench, meanwhile, also summoned the chief executive officer of Delhi Jal Board and sought his presence at the next hearing of the case after no counsel for the department showed up Tuesday.
The order came while the court heard 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 urged the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the officials of the civic bodies.
Counsel for the NDMC had earlier said no complaint of waterlogging was reported in its area.
The civic body claimed that long term plans existed, as per Master Plan 2021, to solve the problem.
