JOIN USIIT professor to solve waterlogging problem
A team led by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) professor A K Gosain will examine the Capital’s waterlogging problem and prepare a master plan to provide a long-term solution, the city government told the Delhi High Court on Wednesday.
“The task of taking effective measures for long-term redressal of waterlogging in the NCT of Delhi by preparing a master plan for drainage has already been approved by the state cabinet,” stated the action taken report filed by the irrigation and flood control department. The department filed the report in response to an earlier direction of a bench headed by Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri, asking it to give details of action taken to solve waterlogging in Delhi.
The report said the cabinet headed by chief minister Sheila Dikshit has appointed Gosain, head of department of civil engineering of IIT, Delhi, as consultant incharge for preparing the master plan. It will be aimed at finding a solution to last for a minimum of 35 years. The action taken report stated that it has apprised all stakeholders, including DDA, MCD, NDMC, DJB and DMRC of the IIT professor’s proposal on the issue and has sought responses of civic agencies.
Besides preparing the master plan, the committee headed by Gosain will formulate the action plan for its implementation. The court, hearing a PIL by ‘Antar-Rashtriya Manav Nigrani Parishad’, has fixed the matter for further hearing on August 22. The proposed study, which will cost Rs 80 lakh, will take 18 months and the report will be considered for implementation in a time-bound manner. The government stated that an apex committee comprising members of various agencies was formed by the finance and urban development minister in 2005 to make an action plan to improve drains.