The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the AAP Government’s public works department (PWD) and other local bodies to jointly inspect the Kushak nallah near South Extension-I here and formulate plan for clearing the drain, instead of blaming each other.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao issued the directions to the PWD, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and asked them to give a status report on what work needs to be done, and by whom, to clean up the drain and by when it would be completed.

The court said that all the authorities have to sit together and work out a solution instead of blaming each other.

“You all are public servants and are expected to work for the public. But all of you cannot work together. You blame each other. The state of affairs is bad, that is why you all are here (before the court),” the bench said.

The observations came after SDMC officials said it was PWD’s job to keep the drain clear while they were constructing the Barapulla flyover under which the ‘nallah’ flows.

While ordering the joint inspection, the bench declined the request of a resident of the area to take action for contempt of court against the PWD officials for not complying with repeated judicial orders to clear all debris from the drain.

The bench said for now, it has tolerated the violation of its orders and will not take action under contempt of court till it sees the joint inspection report.

The senior officials -- Engineer-in-chief of the PWD and SDMC, the Member (Water Supply) of DJB and Principal Secretary of Urban development Department -- were on November 27 directed to be present in the court for an “interaction” on how to clean up the Kushak drain under the Barapulla flyover.