‘If it rains again, Delhi will flood again’: Blame game afoot between BJP, AAP; IMD issues orange alert

Delhi rains: As the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues an orange alert for Delhi, the blame game is afoot between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, over waterlogging woes. This comes after the national capital was left in a standstill after hours of heavy showers due to waterlogging. 

The BJP blamed the AAP government for the waterlogging woes and warned that the same situation could arise if more rains occurred. It said around 300 drain pumps are not functioning. The IMD has issued an orange alert in Delhi for the next two days. 

"If it rains again, Delhi will flood again," said Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, claiming that out of 696 permanent water drainage pumps, 400 are not working. 

Sachdeva asked Public Works Department Minister Atishi to disclose “how many permanent and temporary water drainage pumps are needed during the monsoon and how many are currently operational”.

The AAP said that the maximum flooding happened in areas of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) that are under the BJP-led central government. "The BJP is pointing fingers at the Delhi government to hide from the reality of the flooding in the homes of MPs, ministers and judges," it charged.

AAP demanded answers from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said that there is corruption in NDMC. “Never before have the homes of MPs, ministers and judges flooded. What has happened to all the funds earmarked for desilting?" they said. 

Vice Chairman of NDMC Satish Upadhyay hit back at AAP and said that they themselves are involved in deep corruption. “It's a joke when they talk about others or NDMC and they should look within,” said Upadhyay. 

The national capital is expected to experience moderate to heavy rains this week. The IMD defines moderate rain as rainfall between 7.6 and 35.5 mm in a day, and heavy rain as rainfall between 64.5 and 124.4 mm in a day.