Nagpur: Expressing strong dissatisfaction over recurring monsoon flooding, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court on Friday pulled up Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), observing that annual meetings, affidavits, and assurances were no substitute for lasting solutions to the city’s chronic waterlogging problem.Hearing a PIL by Janmanch president Rajiv Jagtap, a division bench comprising Justices Urmila Joshi-Phalke and Nivedita Mehta found the affidavit filed by NMC chief engineer Leena Upadhye inadequate, orally observing that it failed to identify the root causes of flooding or present a scientific, long-term mitigation plan.The civic body attributed waterlogging near Somalwar School to an ongoing stormwater drain project being executed by the Public Works Department (PWD). It also submitted that maintenance of the Narendra Nagar railway underbridge was PWD’s responsibility.The bench, however, observed that every department was shifting responsibility to another while citizens continued to suffer. It orally remarked that the authorities should not merely indulge in “paper exercises” but place concrete and permanent solutions to the problem.Before adjourning the hearing till Aug 4, the judges acknowledged that heavy rainfall was a reality but emphasised that it remained the administration’s responsibility to develop durable measures to minimise its impact. They also questioned why experts have not been engaged in undertaking a scientific study of the city’s flooding problem.Warning that continued failure to present a satisfactory action plan could invite further judicial intervention, the bench said it would consider issuing notice to the municipal commissioner if effective measures were not forthcoming.In its affidavit, NMC stated that waterlogging-prone areas around schools and colleges were being accorded priority. It said additional personnel have been deployed in coordination with the traffic police. Also, contractors executing infrastructure projects have been instructed to install barricades, warning signs, reflective markers, safe pedestrian pathways and adequate safety measures around excavation sites.Key Takeaways:HC expresses dissatisfaction with NMC’s response on recurring urban floodingAnnual meetings and affidavits can’t replace permanent flood mitigation measures, says courtBench finds NMC affidavit lacked root-cause analysis and a long-term action plan
