HC asks Delhi to fix waterlogging

In the first-ever concrete step to rid Delhi of its perennial waterlogging every monsoon, the Delhi high court on Tuesday directed the Delhi government to form a committee having representatives from all civic agencies for a permanent solution.

In the first-ever concrete step to rid Delhi of its perennial waterlogging every monsoon, the Delhi high court on Tuesday directed the Delhi government to form a committee having representatives from all civic agencies for a permanent solution.

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"It seems no civic agency is bothered", the court said while demanding measures to end the problem.

"The multiplicity of authorities in the Capital seems to be the issue. It then becomes easy for each one to shirk the responsibility," said a bench.

The court made it clear that once the committee is formed, liability will be fixed on each one of them.

The court said it has been giving direction for many years to de-silt drains well before the monsoon, but "nothing happened due to the buck-passing".

The bench said the panel set up by the government should include officers from various authorities including the Public Works Department, the trifurcated Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the New Delhi Municipal Council, the Delhi Jal Board, besides the irrigation department and other concerned authorities.

The court also gave the civic agencies the liberty to take the help of experts, including those from the IITs.