AAP, MCDs play the blame game over lack of irrigation measures in parks

Senior AAP leader and party’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj on Thursday said that “MCDs were closing tube wells” in their parks on NGT order and it would “ruin” greenery in parks.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday hit out at the three municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDs) for failing to create adequate alternatives for irrigation purposes in parks, after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2019 disallowed the use of tube wells for the purpose. While AAP members alleged that around 14,500 parks that come under the civic bodies were turning barren due to inadequate alternatives, members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led municipal corporations said it is the failure of the Delhi government to provide treated water, as per the NGT orders.

AP’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj. (ANI)

Senior AAP leader and party’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj on Thursday said that “MCDs were closing tube wells” in their parks on NGT order and it would “ruin” greenery in parks. He criticised the NGT order but stressed that the three municipalities “failed” to develop alternative methods of irrigation using treated water.

“The BJP-ruled MCD did not deploy tankers even after two years of NGT’s order. Delhi government is ready to provide water free of cost from its Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) but BJP-ruled MCDs want these parks to dry up. Now, MCD plans to close all these tube wells. The NGT had said that while the tube wells need to be closed, MCD should alternatively use the sewer water, after it is processed at STPs, transport them using MCD tankers and use it for irrigation purposes. The lack of irrigation is turning these parks into dry lands. Saplings that would have potentially turned into big trees tomorrow are not able to fully bloom and trees too are drying up,” he said.

He said that the NGT in 2019 ordered a shutdown of all tube wells used to irrigate parks and directed MCDs and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to draw water supply from the STPs.

Till last week, at least 700 tube wells across the three civic bodies were sealed on the directions of the NGT.

Bharadwaj said that the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) was also asked by the NGT to create the necessary infrastructure to implement this plan. Within a five-kilometre radius of every STP, the scheme should be implemented and the DJB should take initiative for its efficient implementation.

“Following this, DJB decided that water from the STPs will now be provided free of cost for irrigation work, for lake construction or water recycling purposes. Thus, DJB completed its end of the bargain and opened the way for MCD to send its tankers and irrigate the parks,” Bharadwaj said.

However, the three municipalities blamed the city government for the current state of affairs.

BJP leader and leader of the House in South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), Narendra Chawla, said that the AAP is making baseless allegations regarding the supply of water in parks. “It is the Delhi government’s duty to ensure supply of treated water. The NGT, in its earlier order, has clearly asked them to ensure water supply from STPs to the parks. Despite having a duty to supply water, the Delhi government has failed to comply with the order. The DJB has been sealing bore wells but not maintaining the supply of water,” Chawla said.

After reports started emerging on parks drying up, Chawla said the SDMC had approached the DJB but to no avail. “Finally, we have approached the NGT for extension in sealing of bore wells till the DJB ensures supply of water to parks,” Chawla said.