Delhi LG puts officials on alert, govt to set up tracking

Delhi water minister Atishi and Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) minister Saurabh Bharadwaj held a separate emergency meeting at the Delhi secretariat

In the wake of torrential rain battering the Capital and leading to severe waterlogging in different parts of Delhi, lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena on Friday cancelled leaves of officials and directed a series of actions to be taken on a war footing to tide over the issue and ensure that the city is prepared to deal with similar situation during the upcoming monsoon season.

Delhi LG VK Saxena at the meeting on Friday. (ANI)

Delhi water minister Atishi and Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) minister Saurabh Bharadwaj held a separate emergency meeting at the Delhi secretariat in the afternoon to discuss the challenges Delhi is facing due to waterlogging.

According to officials aware of the matter, representatives of various government departments attended the meeting called by the LG. They said members from Delhi Jal Board, PWD, I&FC, MCD, NDMC, Delhi Police, DDA and National Disaster Response Force were present during the meeting.

“LG has taken a serious note of the lack of preparedness for emergency response system in the eventuality of excessive rainfall and resultant waterlogging across the city. That the desilting works had yet not been completed and the flood control order has not yet been issued, came out during the meeting,” the LG office said in a statement.

The government, however, said that the situation escalated due to very heavy rainfall.

“Due to so much rainfall, many places in the city recorded waterlogging as the flow of water was very high. Drains overflowed in many areas due to which it took time for the rainwater to recede and it happened only after the rain subsided. So, it took hours to fix the issue of waterlogging in some areas. We had to cut power supply in such areas to check risks of electrocution… We called an emergency meeting where many important decisions were taken in the meeting to fight waterlogging,” Atishi said at a press conference at the Delhi secretariat on Friday evening.

In the statement, the LG office said that a 24X7 emergency control room will be established. “Additional pumps should be procured and deployed in low-lying areas, particularly unauthorised colonies historically prone to waterlogging and underpasses and tunnels,” LG office said.

Bharadwaj also announced that the government will set up an emergency monitoring unit. When asked the similar direction by the LG, the minister said “The control room is a transferred subject, I don’t know if LG is setting up any police control room.”

Talking about the decisions taken in the meeting at the Secretariat, Bharadwaj said, “It was decided that a combined 24x7 emergency control room of all water related departments — DJB, MCD and I&FC — will be set up at PWD headquarters, which will monitor waterlogging round the clock, and take action. All departments will inspect their water pumps by tonight (Friday) and ensure they are in working condition. Every department will form quick response teams, which will be deployed to remove waterlogging,” Bharadwaj said.

In an emergency meeting held at Raj Niwas, LG ordered that a 24x7 emergency control room be set up, all static pumps of the Public Works Department (PWD), Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) be tested and made functional with a matrix of field staff deployed for energising pumps on a 24X7 basis. He also asked the agencies to carry out the remaining de-silting work in the next one week and activate the disaster response cell under the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). He also directed the power department to ensure that the discoms take steps to prevent accidents, officials to monitor critical locations; and all senior officers on leave to report back on duty immediately and no leave to be sanctioned for the next two months, said officials aware of the development.

LG also reviewed the preparedness and emergency response of various departments to deal with the situation and the monsoon season that is yet to fully set in the city.

LG directed that the remaining desilting work of all drains should be undertaken by all the agencies concerned on an emergency basis over the next one week and debris along the drains should be removed immediately, so that all kinds of obstructions in free flow of water in open drains are removed.

The traffic police has been asked to issue regular traffic advisories in case of waterlogging at critical locations and they should continuously share waterlogged spots to departments/agencies concerned and the central control room.

An official in the I&FC department of the Delhi government said that the Yamuna level has increased in the last 24 hours. “At 4pm on June 28, the water level in the Yamuna was 202.23m, which was 201.92m at 4pm on June 27. Currently, the water is far below the warning level of 204.53m,” said the official.

LG has asked the I&FC department of the Delhi government to regularly be in touch with their counterparts in Haryana and upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh to assess rainfall levels, discharges from Hathnikund barrage. “The revenue department has been asked to activate the disaster response cell under Delhi Disaster Management Authority in the eventuality of excessive rainfall. Assistance of NDRF should be taken for any emergency measures during monsoons,” the LG office said.

The power department has been asked to ensure that DISCOMS take preventive measures to ensure that there are no naked wires prone to short circuit in their jurisdiction. “The chief secretary may convene a meeting of bridge owning agencies to ensure that floodplains and major drains are cleared of all kinds of debris/construction waste. All senior officers of municipal bodies, engineering departments should be present in field to monitor critical locations,” LG office said.

However, Bharadwaj said that the Delhi ministers did not have any idea about the meeting called by LG.

“Chief secretary has said on record that they (officers) are called for meetings by different authorities and they are not left with no time to visit the field. I asked him who all called you for meeting. We (ministers) have held only one meeting. We came to know that in the morning, LG called the meeting and MHA (ministry of home affairs) has called a meeting tomorrow (Saturday)… I told him and (Delhi water minister) Atishiji as well that they should write letter to such authorities stating that due to back-to-back meetings, the officials are not getting time to visit the ground. I request LG and MHA that they (officials) need time to visit the ground, so they should be allowed the necessary time,” said Bharadwaj at a press conference held at the Delhi secretariat.

Asked if the ministers were called to LG’s meeting, Bharadwaj said, “We do not have any information about what meeting LG held.”

About LG’s directions to set up control room for water logging, he said:

The minister released two phone numbers — call on 1800110093 or WhatsApp on 8130188222 — and requested people to share any complaint regarding waterlogging.

“The traffic police and councillors have been asked to share list of vulnerable waterlogging areas and the chief secretary has been asked to review the locations with all departments concerned,” said Bharadwaj.

“Recyclers will be installed in every zone of DJB so that if stormwater drains get filled with water and silt, they can be cleaned. Workers will also be deployed as per requirement,” said Bharadwaj.