Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi has informed National Green Tribunal that, following a meeting chaired by the chief secretary, it was decided that the civic body would desilt both the open and covered portions of Defence Colony drain and only the covered portion of Kushak and Sunehri Pul drains. MCD has been asked to share the timeline and other modalities with the tribunal.
Various pleas, including one by Nizamuddin West RWA, were filed in the tribunal demanding the desilting of 24 drains. The tribunal is currently focusing on two drains—Kushak and Sunheri Pul— which pass through south Delhi. In the last hearing held on April 9, NGT expressed its displeasure over the lack of progress on the desilting of drains. It directed the virtual presence of the chief secretary, commissioner of MCD, and CEO of DJB due to the uncertainty about the executing agency for these two drains.
“The responsibility has been fixed upon MCD to clean/desilt the covered portion of the Sunheri Pul Drain and Kushak Drain. It has been agreed that the other agencies will assist in that process, and officers of DJB and the irrigation and flood control department (IF&CD) were present at the meeting. Therefore, now there is no confusion on the part of MCD with respect to its responsibility to clean the covered portion of these two drains,” NGT was told in the latest hearing held on April 16, whose copy of the order was shared on Sunday.
The chief secretary, who was present virtually, informed the tribunal that the covered portion at a fixed distance would be broken. Initially, a stretch of 50 metres will be broken open and cleaned within 10 days. This process will be adopted for the other covered portions as well.
The commissioner, MCD, told NGT that as far as Defence Colony drain, flowing from Defence Colony area, was concerned, cleaning of the entire stretch, covered and open, was the responsibility of MCD. “The drain’s covered portion will be opened longitudinally for the desilting. As far as Sunheri Pul Drain and Kushak Drain are concerned, desilting of the covered portion is the responsibility of MCD, and the open portion is the responsibility of IF&CD,” MCD said.
MCD stated it would provide the timeline and the entire programme along with the modalities for desilting the entire covered portion of Sunheri Pul Drain, Kushak Drain, and Defence Colony Drain. “The affidavit will also disclose the officers who will monitor the progress and will ensure that the timeline is adhered to. The agencies will ensure that desilted material from the drains in question is properly stocked and decanted and then shifted to the pre-identified sites. De-silted material should not create health and traffic hazards,” NGT was informed.
DJB submitted that full cooperation would be extended in all respects to MCD in the desilting work.
Mayank Rawat
