IIT Delhi will restart biological sciences lab; migrating basement labs: Director on flooding incident

NEW DELHI: In response to the incident where the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi’s lab was flooded leading to heavy loss of student and faculty belongings, the institute is migrating all its basement labs and has set up two emergency laboratories, said IIT Delhi director Rangan Banerjee today.

A lab in the lower basement of the Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS) was flooded due to heavy rainfall last month. 20 faculty members faced the brunt of the mishap. “For immediate response to the Kusuma incident, we are moving out all the basement labs to minimize the impact,” Banerjee said.

The IITD director informed that they have set up a water management committee, mapping on sustainable water management. The committee will share its report within a month.

The institute recently built an academic complex as a response to the flash floods, the director further informed. Expressing regret over the incident, the professor said, “There was a blockage of drainage in Delhi’s Aurobindo Road. Our boundary wall collapsed in two places. It was an unprecedented incident.” The IIT is aiming to create an early warning system for such floods.

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The institute is considering three levels of suggestions, a new network, and sustainable measures. Drastic measures will be taken to ensure continuity, said a member of the water management committee.

While IIT Delhi is providing additional funds for the lab, it expressed difficulty in compensating students who have lost their belongings during the incident. “We will have to restart the whole lab,” said Rangan Banerjee and added that Rs 10-11 crore have been provided for the rebuilding work.