Date:09/06/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/06/09/stories/2004060914630300.htm

New Delhi

Massive waterlogging feared as desilting in pathetic state

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 8. This is one area in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi where reforms have failed to take off, resulting in crores of rupees flowing down the drain.

Year after year, the civic body has been taking up the task of desilting of drains before the arrival of monsoon with the primary objective of preventing large-scale waterlogging due to blockages and obstructions in drains after every shower.

Despite the fact that Rs. 20 crores to Rs. 25 crores is being spent every year on the project, the problem persists. The reason, according to the Leader of Opposition, Subhash Arya, is the strong nexus between the corrupt officials and contractors deputed for the task.

Though June 15 is the deadline for completing desilting of as many as 1,166 drains, not even one-fourth of the estimated silt has been removed so far. In Zones like Shahdara (South), Shahdara (North) and Paharganj, work on a majority of the drains has not yet started. "In Shahdara (South), only 16 per sent of desilting work has been completed," Mr. Arya said. Arguing that the desilting operation would generate massive employment opportunities to the unskilled labour equivalent to at least six lakh man days for three months before the monsoon every year, Mr. Arya alleged that only minimal labour force was being deployed at the ground level. "Instead of providing employment to such a large number of work force, desilting is being done only for namesake. It is completed only on paper. As a result, the problem of waterlogging has deteriorated over the years," he said.

Conceded a senior Congress Councillor from the Civil Lines Zone: "If last year it was bad, this year it is going to be hell. Not much desilting work has been done so far." Another Congress Councillor from Shahdara had a similar complaint: "The officials have nothing to fear, but the people would be taking out their angst on us."

Expecting early arrival of monsoon, an agitated party Councillor from City Zone blamed the party leadership for its inability to make the official machinery function. "Hundreds of labourers are being deployed for removing silt, but all on paper. Had the project been implemented honestly, three-fourths of the waterlogging problem would be solved. But then who cares?" said a woman Councillor from Civil Lines Zone, who last year was herself a victim of waterlogging.

Of the 1,333 small and large drains under its jurisdiction, the MCD has this year decided to desilt 1,166 drains. While it was decided that the desilting of 683 drains would be carried out by contractors, the remaining 483 drains would be desilted by deploying daily-wage labourer departmentally. With just one week remaining for the deadline, desilting of only 541 drains is in progress.