Delhi rain chaos: Environment min blames plastic waste, slams state govt

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav attributed the waterlogging in Delhi following torrential rains on Friday morning to drains being clogged with plastic waste and criticised the Delhi government for its inaction despite multiple reminders.

The Safdarjung Observatory, the city's primary weather station, recorded 228.1 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Friday, more than three times the June rainfall average of 74.1 mm and the highest for the month in at least 16 years.

The season's first heavy spell of rain brought back familiar scenes of waterlogged roads, underpasses, vehicles stuck in water, and long traffic snarls, with many residents expressing frustration over the city's drainage infrastructure.

"We banned single-use plastic and also asked the Delhi government to take action. We have asked the Delhi government's industries department several times to close down these (single-use plastic manufacturing) units," Yadav said at the India Climate Summit ...