Clogged drains may prove hazardous during monsoons

The strike led by the sanitation workers had seen garbage being let to be on streets which <g data-gr-id="33">has</g> made matters worse for the civic agencies like the three MCDs.and the Public Works Department. With no roadmap for monsoon management, clogged drains choked with silt might be the biggest worry for Delhiites this monsoon. Following the massive strike, the MCDs are busy removing garbage pile-ups from the streets, which have in turn affected the de-silting work. The PWD, however, blamed the MCDs saying it will have to begin the de-silting process all over again. The process of de-silting costs Rs 35 crore every year, but will now cost around Rs 4 crore more, said an official.

Areas like Patparganj, Seemapuri, Seelampur, Shahdra, Nand Nagri, Bhajanpura and Khajuri have clogged drains. Garbage including plastic have choked the drains.

While some officials in the municipal corporation have claimed that the de-silting process is on at a fast pace, the reality on <g data-gr-id="30">ground</g> is different. A light spell of rain last week submerged main roads and threw traffic out of gear in the Capital. The civic agencies have begun de-silting from drains but have not repaired the same in order to reduce water accumulation.

During a detailed discussion on the issue, BJP councillors said that the pace of work was fast and will be completed soon. But officials in PWD questioned it saying, that the recent strike has been the main reason for clogged drains, hence de-siltation will take a longer time to be completed.