delhi-lg-calls-urgent-meet-over-city-s-water-woes

VK Saxena, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, convened an urgent meeting today involving key government agencies such as Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Public Works Department (PWD), Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFC), Delhi Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), National Disaster Management Control (NDMC), and Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

The meeting was prompted by the escalating water logging situation, overflowing drains, and clogged sewer lines exacerbated by pre-monsoon rains in the city.

The focus of the meeting was to assess the city's readiness and response capabilities, especially as the monsoon season has yet to fully set in. The Lieutenant Governor expressed concern over the inadequate emergency response preparedness and highlighted unfinished desilting works and the absence of Flood Control directives.

During the session, 11 directives were issued for immediate implementation. These included setting up a 24×7 emergency control room with a dedicated public reporting hotline for waterlogging incidents, deploying mobile pumps, issuing regular advisories by traffic police during waterlogging episodes, and maintaining close coordination with Haryana and upper Himachal Pradesh for rainfall assessments and Hathnikund barrage discharges.

Earlier today, residents navigated through waterlogged streets across various parts of the city, while BJP councillor Ravinder Singh Negi made a symbolic protest by rowing an inflatable boat on NH9.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the Safdarjung observatory recorded 228mm of rainfall by 8:30 a.m., marking the second-highest 24-hour June rainfall in Delhi's history. The record for highest June rainfall remains 235.55 mm, set on June 28, 1936.

The emergency meeting underscored the urgent need for proactive measures and swift actions to mitigate the impact of monsoon rains on Delhi's infrastructure and residents.