War of words over desilting of drains

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 29. The war of words between the Congress(I)- ruled Delhi Government and the BJP-dominated Municipal Corporation of Delhi on the desilting of city drains ``intensified'' today.

At a press conference here, Delhi's Development Minister, Dr. Yogananda Shastri, accused the MCD of trying to shift its responsibility on the desilting of drains. ``The MCD has not been able to complete the desilting work,'' he alleged.

``In spite of this, if the MCD is still willing to take over of desilting work of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department we are willing to accede,'' Dr. Shastri said.

The media briefing in response to allegations levelled by the Leader of House in the MCD and the Delhi BJP unit chief against the Flood Control Department for non-execution of desilting operations this year. The BJP leaders had demanded handing over of the drains under the Irrigation and Flood Control Department to the MCD.

Launching a counter-attack, Dr. Shastri alleged that the MCD has failed to implement the decisions taken at high-level meetings headed by the Chief Secretary on flow of sewage and garbage from the MCD into the storm water drains of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department.

``During the meetings, the MCD had been directed to put bar- gratings near the outfall points of their drains so that solid waste and garbage does not flow into main of the Irrigation and Flood Control,'' he said.

Dr. Shastri said in June 2000, the Lt.Governor, Mr. Vijai Kapoor, had directed the MCD to build and maintain sedimentation tanks/catch-pits near the outfall points of Dairy Colony drains so that dung from these colonies did not fall into the trunk drains.

``However, none of the directions has been complied with. As a result, floating solid waste and garbage continue to flow into the trunk drains causing excessive siltation,'' Dr. Shastri alleged.

According to the Minister, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department had, on its own, tried to fix bar-gratings at the outfall points of some MCD drains. ``But these were immediately removed by the MCD. One such case is the Ajeet Nagar drain in Shahdara,'' he said.

Referring to the desilting operations being carried out by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department this year, he said as many as 19 of the 67 drains had been desilted. All drains do not require annual desilting operation. ``Most drains located in rural areas outside the urban limits, are not subject to heavy siltation. Such drains are required to be desilted every three or four years,'' he said.

According to Dr. Shastri, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department has removed about 3.37 lakh cubic metre of silt from 19 drains. Obstructions have also been removed from eight drains to make them fully functional during the monsoon.

As a result, Dr. Shastri claimed, no back-flow or drainage congestion has been experienced in any of the tributary drains of MCD and other civic agencies which outfall into the trunk drains of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department.

Dr. Shastri said due to poor and inadequate solid waste collection and disposal system of the MCD, a large part of the garbage generated found its way into the drains.

As for floods, particularly in low laying areas of the Yamuna, he said: ``We have taken all necessary measures and the situation is under control. As many as 24 control rooms have been set up to monitor the water level of the Yamuna.''

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