The Hindu : New Delhi News : Walia concerned over slow pace of de-silting work

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 09, 2007
ePaper

New Delhi

New Delhi

Walia concerned over slow pace of de-silting work

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Following a review meeting on de-silting of drains in the Capital, Urban Development Minister A. K. Walia on Friday expressed deep concern at the slow pace of work by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. He said there was every chance that the entire work of de-silting might not be over by June 29, the expected date of arrival of the monsoon in Delhi.

Dr.Walia, who has been continuously reviewing progress of de-silting of drains, was informed by officials that the progress of work in respect of the MCD was not satisfactory. Of its 1,265 drains, the MCD has been able to clean only 96 whereas work is in progress on 553. In all, about 86,589 metric tonnes of silt has been removed. Also, while 656 drains are to be cleaned by the contractors, the rest are to be de-silted by the MCD's own staff.

While the MCD has started removing silt from the 157 drains that were transferred by the Public Works Department last year, it has so far completed de-silting in only three while work is in progress on 31 others.

As for the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, the officials claimed that it had achieved 72 per cent of its target of de-silting 16 drains. It has assured that entire work would be completed by June 25. Dr. Walia asked both the agencies to avoid accumulation of removed silt on roadsides as that might lead to health problems. He directed that the removed silt be taken to the dumping grounds without delay.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi

News Update

Stories in this Section