Now,MCD eyes motor boats

The disastrous economic slowdown might have forced the MCD to look at the bottom of the fiscal barrel and seek a bailout from the Delhi government but it hasnt stopped its ambitious disaster management plan.

The disastrous economic slowdown might have forced the MCD to look at the bottom of the fiscal barrel and seek a bailout from the Delhi government but it hasnt stopped its ambitious disaster management plan.

If all goes well,the civic body is set to buy motor boats from its layout of Rs 10 lakh this fiscal for disaster management. The idea: if all does not go well next monsoon,and the Yamuna seethes over,some of these motorised boats would get into action.

We need to be prepared for any natural calamity, MCD spokesperson Deep Mathur said. The MCD had helped Delhi government in the rescue operations in last years floods,and thats when we acutely felt the need for motor boats. It is just part of preparing ourselves for a natural calamity in future.

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The decision came as part of the revised budget estimates for 2008-09 and budget estimates for 2009-10 fiscal at a special meeting on Tuesday.

Neither the government nor the civic body possesses any motor boat the MCD hires them for surveillance during mass immersions,like Durga Puja. MCD Standing Committee chairman Vijender Gupta said getting motor boats is the Delhi governments project. But after last years flood,MCD had decided to buy motor boats to meet any such future disaster. The money has been lying in (MCDs) account since then.

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