Delhi: After NGT fine, DUSIB blames DJB for Barapullah sewer line gaps

DUSIB blames DJB for sewer gaps after being fined ₹25,000 by NGT, reviving an inter-agency blame game over pollution and waterlogging issues.

A day after being fined ₹25,000 by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for failing to file a status report on Barapullah’s subsidiary drains, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), in its latest submission, shifted responsibility for sewer infrastructure gaps to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), reviving an inter-agency blame game that has marked proceedings in the case.

The tribunal is scheduled to hear the matter again on April 1. (Hindustan Times)

In its affidavit filed before the tribunal on Tuesday, DUSIB maintained that its mandate is limited to constructing and maintaining community toilet complexes in slum clusters, while the laying of sewer lines and ensuring sewage connectivity fall on the DJB.

DUSIB argued that any delay in plugging sewage discharge into the Barapullah and its feeder drains cannot be attributed to it, adding that while 680 jan suvidha (public toilet) complexes exist across 675 slum clusters, the sewer lines there are laid by the DJB.

The stand comes in contrast to earlier submissions by the DJB, which flagged delays on DUSIB’s part in mapping and addressing sewage outflows from informal settlements, effectively stalling coordinated action on the ground. The continued back-and-forth between the two agencies has emerged as a key hurdle in addressing pollution and waterlogging linked to the drain system.

The NGT, which is monitoring remediation efforts in the Barapullah basin through a plea filed by the Nizamuddin West Residents’ Association, had on March 24 imposed costs of ₹25,000 on DUSIB, noting that despite being given repeated opportunities since January, it had failed to file a comprehensive status report.

The tribunal observed that the delay had “stalled examination of the issue”, particularly the role of sewage discharge from slum clusters in polluting the drain.

Residents of south Delhi, particularly in Nizamuddin West, have flagged recurring monsoon waterlogging, attributing it to choked and poorly maintained subsidiary drains.

The tribunal is scheduled to hear the matter again on April 1, when it is expected to examine the latest DUSIB submission and fix accountability between agencies for delays in executing remedial measures.