New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Thursday advised the civic agencies to conduct de-silting exercises for drains and sewer lines year-round rather than relying on “seasonal” and “ad-hoc” measures to prevent waterlogging.
He urged the authorities to issue necessary orders to implement this strategy as soon as possible.
Saxena highlighted that significant improvements have been made in the city’s major drainage systems, including the Sunehri, Barapulla, Kushak, Shahdara, and Najafgarh drains due to focused de-silting efforts.
In a social media post on X, he shared pictures of these drains and stated, “As monsoons retreat, reports from government departments and feedback from Delhi residents indicate a dramatic improvement in flooding and waterlogging after our concerted de-silting efforts following my recent visits to affected areas.” In another tweet, he emphasised the need for ongoing maintenance.
“I advised officers that de-silting and declogging of drains and sewer lines should be undertaken as a year-long exercise, rather than as seasonal, ad-hoc measures. This approach will prevent long-standing de-silting issues from crippling the city again. I urged all concerned agencies, including the I&FC Department, Delhi Jal Board, PWD and MCD, to issue the necessary orders at the earliest,” he wrote.
Earlier in the day, the LG Secretariat in a statement said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has removed over 6,156.94 metric tons (MT) of silt and construction and demolition (C&D) waste from the city in the past week as part of its newly launched ‘Dust-Free Delhi’ drive.
The Shahdara South Zone reported the highest removal, with a total of 1,230.76 MT of silt and debris. The Keshapuram Zone removed 1,019.67 MT of waste, the second highest in the same period.
“The removed silt and C&D waste are being safely transported to designated dumping sites for proper disposal and bio-remediation. This initial effort to clear the silt from various choked drains is currently in progress,” the statement said.
“MCD’s 12 zones collectively had removed 404.65 MT of waste on September 24 and by 02.10.2024 it was able to remove 6156.94 metric tons (MT) of silt and construction and demolition waste,” it said.
Due to the rains in the capital, dried mud and silt accumulated on the roads have been contributing significantly to air pollution, the statement said, adding that pollution caused by road dust is one of the two major contributors to air pollution in the city. In a meeting held last month to review air pollution, Saxena instructed the MCD, Public Works Department (PWD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Irrigation and Flood Control Department (I&FCD) and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to undertake the ‘Dust-Free Delhi Drive’ over the next week to ten days, urging that it be developed into a year-long campaign. PTI SJJ AS AS
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.