Two days after an unprecedented deluge laid bare the inadequacies in Chandigarh’s drainage system and disaster management plans, the municipal corporation (MC) General House meeting witnessed stormy scenes as councillors cutting across party lines questioned the civic officials over their “laid-back” response.
MC officials, including the chief engineer, superintending engineer (building & roads wing) and executive engineers, cut a sorry figure as both mayor Saurabh Joshi and municipal commissioner Amit Kumar Sharma pulled them up, stating that traffic congestion could not be an excuse for the quick reaction teams (QRT) failure to reach waterlogged areas.
“Where are the crores of rupees earmarked for monsoon preparedness being spent,” the mayor asked while stating that he had repeatedly called sub-divisional officers (SDOs) and junior engineers (JEs) from areas witnessing severe waterlogging, but they failed to reach the spots.
“For three hours, I could not find MC quick reaction teams on the spot. When the rain stopped, I saw these officials clicking selfies at the spot. By that time, the water had already drained out,” said Joshi.
The commissioner acknowledged the traffic situation but said: “I too was caught in traffic from 7 pm to 9 pm that day. But officers have their mobile phones with them. Couldn’t you (civic officials) have assigned anyone else to reach the spots from where heavy waterlogging was reported? We have an entire line-up of officials,” said Sharma.
{{/usCountry}}The commissioner acknowledged the traffic situation but said: “I too was caught in traffic from 7 pm to 9 pm that day. But officers have their mobile phones with them. Couldn’t you (civic officials) have assigned anyone else to reach the spots from where heavy waterlogging was reported? We have an entire line-up of officials,” said Sharma.
{{/usCountry}}The mayor also questioned whether road gullies had been adequately cleaned ahead of the monsoon. “We raised this issue in the finance and contract committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday) as well. What is the state of the road gullies and were they even cleaned before the onset of monsoon?” he said.
The mayor also sought details from engineers on the action taken against officials who allegedly failed to discharge their duties. MC executive engineer said action had been taken against a JE and an SDO by stripping them of their additional charges.
Recounting his own experience, Joshi said he had travelled on a scooter to reach a submerged temple in Sector 16 after getting caught in traffic.
“I was going to Sector 16 where a temple was submerged. As there was traffic, I went to the spot on a scooter,” he said.
Councillors question desilting operations
The meeting also brought to fore the shortage and deployment of jetting-cum-suction machines and suction tanks used to clear blockages and debris from drainage pipes in times of waterlogging during heavy rains.
Several councillors said the machines were inadequate to deal with the situation during heavy rainfall.
“I have not seen any jetting machine ever doing its work during rains. When there is a party or exhibition, you people show robotic machinery. Where were those machines when they were actually needed?” Joshi asked.
He also questioned the administration’s handling of the N-choe, saying, “You always say that N-choe has been blocked. Last year, you said the same. But did you write to the administration to get the N-choe desilted?”
Calling the situation “very unfortunate”, Joshi said the issue needed to be addressed on priority.
Former mayor and BJP councillor Harpreet Babla questioned how the substantial budget earmarked for monsoon preparedness had failed to prevent the disruption witnessed after Tuesday’s downpour.
MC chief engineer Sanjay Arora said there was no super-suction machine available with the civic body. He added that jetting-cum-sewer machines were not allocated ward-wise, but division-wise.
Congress councillor Prem Lata said the arrangement often left councillors waiting for machines when blockages occurred.
“Whenever there is a blockade in a drain due to silt and we ask for the machine, we get the reply that it is occupied in another ward. I have never seen the machines,” she said.
The mayor subsequently announced that a separate agenda item would be brought before the next House meeting for providing additional jetting machines to the MC.