Court seeks report on water-logging in Delhi

New Delhi - The Delhi High Court Monday asked civic agencies to file a report within a week about steps taken to de-silt drains and prevent water-logging during monsoon.

Judges S.K. Kaul and Vipin Sanghi said the three municipal corporations and the New Delhi Municipal Council "are directed to file a status report within a week and then the court will appoint a committee to verify (its)veracity".

The order came while hearing a contempt plea filed by an NGO charging the civic agencies with non-compliance of a July 11 order, directing them to take steps to end the problem of water-logging in Delhi in 15 days.

NGO Nyaya Bhoomi president B.B. Sharan asked the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the officials of the civic bodies.

Counsel for the MCDs, however, told the bench that the civic agencies had taken the steps to solve the problem of water logging.

The counsel for NDMC said no complaint of water logging had been reported in its area.

The court posted the matter for Aug 21.

The bench also asked agencies to make their officials accountable for not performing the task. "Unless you make these officials accountable, nothing can happen," the court noted.

Earlier two petitions were filed by Nyaya Bhoomi and advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal seeking an end to the problem of water-logging, and accusing the civic agencies of doing precious little to prevent it.