New Delhi, Jul 28 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Monday took note of the “enormous confusion” prevailing among various civic agencies due to improper delineation of responsibilities and asked the Delhi government to decide on centralising administration and management in the national capital.
The court was hearing two suo motu petitions dealing with water logging and rainwater harvesting besides easing traffic jams in the national capital during monsoon and at other times of the year.
A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Manmeet P S Arora said storm water drains were under the management of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and sewage lines are under the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
“This has led to non-maintenance of either of the lines leading to excessive flooding in Delhi. Neither of these drain pipes are being properly managed by the respective agency which seems to be passing the responsibility to the other agency,” the bench said.
In most colonies, the bench said, storm water drains were also blocked by residents or constructions, leading to their perpetual clogging.
In the pending petition, a fresh plea was filed by the Residents Welfare Association of Maharani Bagh saying a new problem had arisen due to the action of Delhi government’s Public Works Department (PWD).
The court has been examining various aspects related to the Taimur Nagar drain adjacent to Maharani Bagh colony and has been issuing directions from time to time.
The court was informed that certain well marks or holes were made in the walls on the ring road through which water flew into the Maharani Bagh colony, flooding the area.
The PWD argued that these were not new holes but well marks that already existed and were blocked by the residents and had now been opened.
The court was informed that the road was earlier with the PWD now with the MCD.
The bench said the residents’ plea showed the apathy existing across Delhi due to multiple agencies functioning.
The court observed it has to summon agencies, including MCD, PWD, DJB, DDA, Irrigation and Flood Control Department before it for a consensus to be arrived at and for an affective implementation of its directions.
“Between these agencies there is enormous confusion which is caused due to improper delineation of responsibilities leading to passing the buck on most occasions,” the court said.
The bench further said the time had come for the Delhi Government to take a comprehensive decision on the manner in which civic services in Delhi needed to be managed and administered.
The order was directed to be placed before the Delhi chief secretary who will place it before the government functionaries concerned to decide on the “centralisation of administration and management of flooding in Delhi”.
If required, the matter would be placed before Delhi Lieutenant Governor, the court added.
On the Maharani Bagh issue, the bench directed the PWD and MCD to hold a meeting with the residents on August 2 after conducting a site inspection and file a joint status report on the efforts to solve the issue.
The court was heard pleas of several Delhi residents, including lawyers, over the flooding of roads, homes and offices after rains due to clogged stormwater and sewage drains. PTI SKV SKV AMK AMK
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