Chennai: Despite facing catastrophic deluge after the record rainfall in city, December last year, the authorities have not realised the significance of stormwater drains, the Madras high court has observed. When a petition filed by A. Narayanan came up for hearing, the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R. Mahadevan said they find that seriousness to tackle problem of stormwater drains remains absent.
The bench said courts cannot desilt drains and endeavour can only be to ensure that the elected government of the day truly reflects the will of the people by carrying out various administrative functions. And, if statutory provisions were violated, the court would give the nudge to ensure that they are complied with. The petitioner sought direction to state to stop manual scavenging, but also to initiate rehabilitation. “Despite modern technology at our command, we continue to go back to archaic method of manual desilting,” he said.
The bench said based on an high court order dated August 5, 2009, a ‘special committee’ was constituted consisting of the chairman and managing director, Chennai Metrowater Supply and Sewerage Board with 13 members for taking steps to clear stormwater drains. The committee has been directed to submit the report in two months with recommendations as to how to improve the drainage system and maintain the overall environment in the Chennai metropolitan city, towns and villages in the state, in the interest of public at large.
The special committee shall convene meeting in 10 days and frequent meetings should be convened at least till November 2016 to find an immediate solution on a long term basis. The committee would also discuss the technical expertise available and the machinery to be acquired to assist in desilting the drains, considering the machines bought at present do not seem to sub-serve the purpose so far as narrower roads are concerned, the bench noted. The bench adjourned the matter to November 4, 2016.
