New Delhi, May 31
The death toll in the powerful dust storm has increased to 14 today and over two dozen were injured in various areas of the city in accidents of felling trees, collapse of wall and electrocution even as many areas remained without electricity for over 24 hours due to delay in restoration of damaged power transmission lines.

Most casualties were reported from West Delhi where three people lost their lives. This was followed by South West Delhi, Central Delhi, North Delhi and North West Delhi where two people each were killed in different accidents, according to police.

Having seen sensitivity of the situation, Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung today directed the Divisional Commissioners to grant ex gratia to the affected families in the dust storm which hit the Capital last evening.

In order to review the situation in the aftermath of the devastating storm, the LG called a meeting of senior officers of the Power Department and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and instructed them to take steps to alleviate the problems being faced by the public.

He instructed the Divisional Commissioners to assess damage to life and property with the direction that ex gratia shall be granted to the affected families within a few days.

Due to power failure, the DJB could produce only 681 MGD of water, which is less by 154 MGD of their daily production. "The situation is under control and the DJB authorities are in constant touch with the officers of Power Department and discoms to ensure supply to water treatment plants and booster pumping stations," said senior government officials.

The Palla tube wells are still non-functional, due to power failure in the area, affecting water supply in northwest Delhi. Further, there has been a major problem at Delhi Cantt pumping station due to erratic power supply, thereby affecting the water supply to south Delhi this morning.

The water situation in East and West Delhi is normal, but there has been a shortage of supply in south Delhi, southwest Delhi, north, northwest and parts of the New Delhi Municipal Council area this morning.

Jung instructed the DJB authorities to supply water tankers in the affected areas. DJB offices will remain open this Saturday and Sunday to ensure restoration of water supply in the affected areas and the DJB control room will function round-the-clock.

There was a major loss of supply from extra high voltage northern region lines feeding power to Delhi.

"The restoration of lines was taken on war-footing and the priority was to restore power to Delhi Metro, water treatment plants and NDMC area," said an official.

Today, the situation is normal in most of the areas but there may be rotational loadshedding during peak hours.

New Delhi, May 31
The Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCD) are working to restore order in its areas after a storm in the national Capital yesterday threw normal life out of gear.

The maximum damage was reported from East Delhi, where nearly 20 trees or branches fell during the storm.

"The major problem was to restore vehicular traffic. Though we started the restoration work last night, we are still clearing the streets of fallen trees or branches," said NDMC spokesperson Yogendra Singh Mann.

The NDMC is clearing the roads and streets by chopping the fallen trees or branches. "Big trees were being cut into smaller logs and the wood is either sent to the Forest Department or a crematorium depending on the size," Mann said.

At least nine people were killed in the NCR region, including six in Delhi, in the storm which hit last evening hitting road traffic, Metro services, flight operations and power supply.

In North Delhi, around nine complaints of fallen trees or their branches were received by the North Corporation from its various zones yesterday, he said.

The EDMC received maximum complaints of 20 cases. While six complaints were received from Shahdara (North) Zone area, the remaining 14 complaints came from Shahdara (South) Zone, said Mann.

The SDMC too was clearing trees and restoring order in its area, where a total of 11 complaints of falling of trees or branches were reported. A municipal official said that less number of trees fell this time as the concrete around them was removed.

"Following the National Green Tribunal's order to 'deconcretise' trees in the city, less number of trees fell this time, about 30 to 40 per cent less than what it used to be earlier," said SDMC public relations officer Mukesh Yadav.

New Delhi, May 31
A large number of Dabri residents carried the body of a 20-year-old man, Pradeep Sharma and protested opposite the Delhi Police Headquarters. They were clamouring for action against the institute allegedly responsible for his death.

Crying at the protest site, Hari Datt Sharma, father of Pradeep Sharma (20) whose body was brought from Iran a few days back, said that he went to Dubai on a job visa for 96 days on October 6, 2013, but he worked with the company for nine months.

The visa was allegedly managed by the institute where from Pradeep had completed his course.

He said that though Pradeep was initially taken to Dubai. He was not given the job for which he was selected. He was instead taken to Iran.

He said that Pradeep did the course from the institute located at Chhatarpur. He had to dispose of his house for Rs 8 lakh for the expenses of his course. After the completion of the course, the institute managed the visa for Dubai. He was selected for a better job, but was forced to work as a labourer and instead of taking him to Dubai, the company took him to Iran.

He said once Pradeep had called him from Iran, appealing to save him from his employers. That was the last day Hari Datt talked to his son who died on May 10. The police had registered a DD entry. On May 20, an FIR was lodged, but no action was taken against the institute.

A large number of local residents protested at the police headquarters, carrying the body before going to Nigambodh Ghat for cremation. As the police assured them of action against the institute, they left.

DCP South Delhi, B. S. Jaiswal said that a case has been registered and action would be taken against the institute.

New Delhi, May 31
The Delhi Power Distribution Companies BSES Rajdhani (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna (BYPL) today cleared about Rs 700 crores of dues to the state-run NTPC, easing concerns of power supply disruptions in the areas they serve.

The NTPC has received the payments and power supplies won't be curbed, a company official said. The Supreme Court had said that the NTPC, the country's largest electricity generator, can cut power supplies to the BSES utilities if they fail to pay their arrears by May-end.

BRPL and BYPL, the two power distribution arms of Reliance Infrastructure operating in joint ventures with the Delhi government, received loans from the state-run lenders Power Finance Corporation and the Rural Electrification Corporation to clear their outstanding dues, sources said.

Officials of BYPL and BRPL declined to comment. In March, the two companies had paid a part of their outstanding bills to the NTPC.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had said that if the BSES utilities failed to pay by the end of May, the NTPC would be entitled to snapping power supplies to the distributors, according to the reports.