New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today directed the Delhi government to consider as representation a plea seeking arrangements to prevent water-logging problems in Delhi.
A division Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued the direction while hearing a plea by the Anti Corruption Council of India seeking solution for Delhi’s water-logging problem and adequate compensation to the victims and the families of those who lost their lives and whose houses have been damaged due to the water-logging in wake of the recent heavy rainfall in Delhi.
The plea took note of the effect of the rains on Delhi on July 19 and 22 when the National Capital Territory came to standstill due to water-logging after 2 to 3 hours of heavy rainfall. The heavy rainfall caused water-logging in different parts of Delhi and exposed the claim of the government in respect of the arrangements being made on their part.
The plea contended that after the heavy rainfall was over the Delhi government and different departments of the Delhi and Central government and some leaders from different political parties started levelling allegations and counter-allegations, instead of setting up coordination for the removal of the water-logging. None of them were seen taking personal responsibilities and accountability of the plight and miserable conditions of the Delhiites.
The plea made note of a news article published on July 20 in The Hindustan Times with heading “City makes heavy weather of first good downpour”, which said that the capital recording it first day of “Heavy rainfall this monsoon, Delhiites woke up to waterlogged roads, fallen trees and power cuts in various areas on Sunday. Another article was published in Hindustan Online news portal that read “Rain throws city’s traffic out of gear” and stated that the season’s heaviest rainfall so far caused traffic snarls in many parts of the city on Sunday. India Today online news portal wrote that
“4 dead, road cave in after few hours of Delhi, parties shower accusations on each other.”
The plea has made note of several other news articles reporting other incidents like death of an 8 year-old boy due to the overnight downpour in Delhi, and 56-years-old tempo driver drowning in waterlogged underpass.
The petitioner has contended that the respondents have not been taking interest in taking proper steps for making proper arrangements for sorting out the problem of water-logging and also have been ignoring the precarious and pathetic plight of the Delhi and till date have shown their reluctance in making arrangements In respect of water-logging problems in NCT of Delhi.
The petitioner has sought directions to the government to not just make arrangements to prevent water logging in Delhi during the rainy season, but to also ensure proper cleaning and maintenance of drainage and sewerage systems in a time bound manner. It has also been prayed that adequate compensation be given to the victims and the family of the deceased whose family members lost their lives due to the water-logging in rainy seasonal rainy days, and the person whose houses have been damaged.
-India Legal Bureau