NEW DELHI: In view widespread waterlogging and traffic chaos following the incessant rain the national capital received on Friday, Delhi L-G VK Saxena has issued orders to immediately set up an emergency control room to address the difficulties faced by citizens.
According to instructions, the control room will be operated 24x7 and manned by senior officials from all the concerned departments under civics agencies, DDA, irrigation and flood control, PWD and Delhi Police.
Also, the Revenue department has been asked to activate the disaster response cell under DDMA in the eventuality of excessive rainfall. "Assistance of NDRF to be taken for any emergency measures during monsoons," the instructions read.
Besides, the L-G has ordered the agencies to ask all senior officers on leave to report back on duty immediately. He also instructed that leave is to be sanctioned for the next two months.
The instructions were issued during an emergency meeting Saxena held to review the response and preparedness by all departments to handle waterlogging and possible flood-like situation in Delhi.
Raj Niwas officials said that during the meeting, it was revealed by the officers that the desilting works had yet not been completed and the Flood Control Order had yet not been issued by the Delhi government, to which L-G has taken a serious view.
Meanwhile, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department has been asked to regularly be in touch with their counterparts in Haryana and upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh to assess rainfall levels and assess discharges from Hathnikund barrage
"The Power department to ensure that DISCOMS take preventive measures to ensure that there are no naked wires prone to short circuit in their jurisdiction. All static pumps of PWD, I&FC, MCD, DDA and NDMC be tested and made functional with a matrix of field staff deployed for energizing pumps on a 24x7 basis. Mobile pumps must be utilized as and when required. Additional pumps should be procured and deployed in low lying areas, particularly unauthorized colonies historically prone to waterlogging and underpasses and tunnels," the instructions read further.