We cannot tolerate this every year: Delhi High Court on waterlogging

"We cannot tolerate this year after year."

This was the sharp reaction of the Delhi High Court on 31 August to waterlogging on major roads and the crippling of traffic movement in large parts of the national capital.

"There is no justification for clogged drains. We cannot tolerate this year after year," the court said when it took up a matter relating to water logging of South Extension area of South Delhi.

Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed, who was hearing the matter along with Justice Ashutosh Kumar, said when he was on the way to court this morning, "even the road in front of the Vice-President's residence was waterlogged." Heavy rains had lashed the national capital on Wednesday morning.

The bench also observed that pools of water collected on roads after the rains due to poor drainage became breeding grounds for mosquitoes, leading to the spread of vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya.

Photographs of waterlogging in South Extension Part-I and the nearby Kushak nallah were also placed before the bench, which said "it appears there is no overflow in Kushak nallah. Only conclusion that can be arrived at is that waterlogging of South Extension-I is due to poor drainage and sewerage of the area".

The court put both the South Delhi Municipal Corporation and Delhi Jal Board to notice to "clear any clogging" of movement of water and listed the matter for further hearing on September 28.

The court was hearing a PIL relating to steps to check waterlogging in this area, a matter it has been monitoring since 2012.