The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has claimed to have spent more than 10 crores this year in the name of cleaning drains and preventing water logging. The Delhi government spends more than Rs 11 crore per year on cleaning the Najafgarh drain alone. NDMC spends extra on cleaning drains in its area. But the efforts of all the agencies remained in vain and the whole of Delhi struggled with water-logging due to heavy rains on Saturday-Sunday. In this, raw colonies from Lutyen’s Delhi to slums were also included.
Every year the Delhi Police informs the government about water-logging sites. This year Delhi Police had identified 107 places and alerted the Delhi government about water logging at these places. It is alleged that the government did not take proper action on the information of Delhi Police, due to which it has to face the huge problem of water logging.
The Delhi government spends more than Rs 11 crore per year on cleaning the Najafgarh drain alone. Removal of weeds like water hyacinth accelerates the flow of water through the drains. Last week itself, Saurabh Bhardwaj visited Najafgarh drain and inspected its cleaning work. There are a total of 20,159 small and big drains inside the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. It also includes 721 drains with a depth of four feet. It has been claimed that in this season alone their cleaning work has been completed by spending about Rs 10 crore.
If the Yamuna is clean then there will be relief from floods: Ashok Kukreja
Urban affairs expert Ashok Kukreja told Amar Ujala that the problem of floods caused by Yamuna in Delhi is almost over. After the development of Pushta Road, most of the areas are now safe from Yamuna flood. But the biggest problem of Delhi is that its rain water is not able to reach Yamuna, due to which there is water logging at many places and Delhi starts drowning in its own water.
If the system to make the water raining in Delhi reach the Yamuna in a short time can be corrected, then the capital can be freed from water-logging. In Delhi, 22 major drains fall into the Yamuna in its 53 kilometer course. If the water of these drains can be stopped and purified, then Delhi can not only be saved from floods, but later adequate water can also be arranged for Delhi.
According to the information placed on the floor of the assembly by the Delhi government, Rs 6856 crore has been spent between 2017 and 2021. The funds were to build new STPs and develop necessary infrastructure to prevent waste water from falling into the Yamuna. In March this year, Arvind Kejriwal claimed to have cleaned the Yamuna by implementing a six-point agenda.
Kejriwal held a meeting
In view of the problem of water-logging in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday held a meeting with the officials of Delhi Jal Board, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and flood administration. In the meeting, all the officers have been asked to be present in the flood affected areas. The government has made it clear that officials will be held responsible for water logging. It has been asked to install more pumps in waterlogged areas and make arrangements for drainage as soon as possible.
Rs 3,000 crore spent on cleaning drains, huge corruption: BJP
The Delhi BJP on Monday staged a massive protest against the Arvind Kejriwal government regarding water-logging. Meanwhile, BJP President Virendra Sachdeva alleged that the Delhi government could not get the drains cleaned even after spending Rs 3,000 crore on cleaning them. It is clear from this that corruption has been done in the name of cleaning of drains. He said that till now Kejriwal used to allege that if the problems of Delhi were not improving then the Municipal Corporation should be given to him. But now that they have control over the municipal corporation as well, the drains are not being cleaned.
He said that the Delhi government had claimed to have developed Chandni Chowk and Mathura Road in the best way. But the knee-high water in Chandni Chowk is telling that only corruption has been done in the name of cleanliness. The BJP has demanded an inquiry into the matter. He alleged that while Delhi was drowning in water, Kejriwal was roaming around Haryana to campaign.