It's been raining in New Delhi for days now. Just couple of weeks ago, people all over the place, particularly on television, were anxious that the monsoon was not hitting the city and the summer heat refused to wean. Now, the same people have problems with the rains when this August has already become the wettest one in a decade and it is well on the road to become the wettest ever.

Soon, we will see people attributing this August rains to climate change but only they are finished with the cynicism about CWG irregularities and its negative linkage with the monsoonal rains. Then, the residents of the city will freely converse in metro trains, city buses and all the places of public gathering that the end of the world is near as the climatic change has started showing its effects. But they are less concerned about the fact that this variation over a period of 8-10 years is only marginal one given the deviation in annual weather pattern on the planet in its geological past.

But, what everyone is missing is poor governance of drainage in the national capital. Historians claim that drainage system of Delhi was far more efficient and well managed during the time of Shershah who ruled from Rohtas in Bihar. Even during the rule of the Tomars in the early medieval period the city drainage was better. An ordinary citizen can expect this much from the city government as well as the union urban development ministry. A well managed drainage will itself help in checking in the dengue, malaria, typhoid and a several kinds of dysentery. All these diseases have plagued the city for years now. This will also help government help residents better. 

Maintenance of drainage will not only give relief to the people who have been paying taxes for its upkeep(?), it will also help keeping the roads hassle-free ride and drive in the city. Delhi will look cleaner and pavement dwellers will also be served better. 

Do I need to enumerate more benefits of an efficient drainage system in Delhi, which is aspiring to become a world class city from a walled city?

Whatever, the monsoonal rains has made people forget the real heat intensity in the city and people look more calm off road; vegetation has started looking greener. Ain't these things enough to welcome rains? Rain please don't go away!

 

About the Author:

Prabhash K Dutta is a Journalist with Focus TV