Drainage systems in most of Delhi working fine: Parvesh

 The Hindu Bureau

NEW DELHI

 and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh on Sunday said the temporary accumulation of water immediately after monsoon rain should not be classified as waterlogging, as he criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for “misleading” the public by selectively sharing videos of waterlogged streets to portray the entire city as submerged.

The Minister’s remarks came amid reports of heavy rain across several parts of Delhi over the past week, which led to traffic snarls and complaints of water accumulation in many areas.

“When it rains, water naturally takes some time to drain, depending on the capacity of the system. Waterlogging is defined as a situation where water remains stagnant for four to five hours after the rain has stopped. In most parts of the city, the drainage infrastructure is working efficiently,” said Mr. Singh, who also holds the Public Works Department portfolio.

Noting that the Delhi government has been active during the rainy season, he said that all systems and checks introduced after coming to power are functioning smoothly.

‘Complete failure’

Countering the Minister’s claims, AAP demanded that the Delhi government convene a special Assembly session to discuss desilting work and sought a White Paper on the issue. The party alleged that despite the government’s claims, many drains remained unclogged.

“In just a few monsoon showers, all four engines of the administration have drowned. The government has completely failed to prevent waterlogging in Delhi,” said AAP leader and Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha at a press conference.

He played purported videos showing waterlogged streets in various areas of Delhi, including Shalimar Bagh — Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s constituency. He claimed that water remained accumulated for two to three hours after the rain had stopped.

“Leaders had promised a waterlogging-free monsoon. Prior to the rains, L-G [V.K. Saxena], CM, and other officials made tall claims. But the reality is now clear before the people of Delhi,” he said. Mr. Jha also accused the administration of repeatedly shifting deadlines and said nearly 40% of PWD drains, 30% of Municipal Corporation of Delhi drains, and almost half of the I&FC drains have not been desilted. “A special Assembly session would help bring transparency to the issue,” he said.

Yamuna inspection

Mr. Singh inspected the Yamuna river at Palla, where the water enters Delhi from Haryana, on a boat.

He said that the water at Palla is clean, but as  it enters Delhi, its colour turns dark and dirty.

“Efforts are under way to ensure the river remains as clean within the city as it is at its entry point,” said the Minister. Water samples have been collected to test quality, and a meeting has been held with officials to prevent any flood threats from the Yamuna this year, he added.