DJB seeks forest dept nod for sewage network in unauthorised Ridge colonies

The DJB urged the forest department to take up the matter on an urgent basis for controlling environmental degradation and improving sanitation in the areas.

The Delhi Jal Board has sought permission from the Delhi forest department to develop sewage network in unauthorised colonies situated on forest or ridge land, officials said on Sunday.

DJB officials have requested that the proposal be put before the Ridge Management Board. (HT archive)

DJB officials have requested that the proposal be put before the Ridge Management Board.

As per the DJB letter dated March 13, the board urged the forest department to take up the matter on an urgent basis for controlling environmental degradation and improving sanitation in the areas. “In reference to the notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the proposal to provide sewage networks in unauthorised colonies on forest/morphological ridge is submitted for placing before the Delhi Ridge Management Board...it is the mandate of the DJB to provide sewage network in unsewered areas of Delhi,” the letter, also seen by HT, read.

In Delhi, numerous unauthorised colonies are present on forest and ridge land, particulary in south Delhi. Some of the key areas include 33 colonies in Sangam Vihar, Sainik Farm, and parts of Chattarpur. Other areas include parts of Tughlaqabad, Rajokari, and areas near Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).

DJB has also assured that the proposed sewer lines will be laid underground and no tree cutting will be involved in the project’s execution. “To provide sewage network in unauthorised colonies, the matter may be placed before the Delhi Ridge Management Board for either issuance of a No Objection Certificate to carry out sewage work in such colonies or for directing the forest department to provide a single point discharge location for each colony to facilitate trapping and diversion of sewage into DJB network,” DJB said in the letter.

The report cites an ongoing NGT case regarding untreated sewage flowing in the Barapullah basin system.

Coverage of the sewage network in Delhi is about 82%, and the remaining 18% area (mainly unauthorised colonies and JJ clusters) does not have a sewage system. Delhi has 1,799 unauthorised colonies out of which sewer lines have been laid in 1,235 colonies, work is in progress in 145 colonies and 270 colonies are awaiting a plan. “There are 99 colonies where NOC is required from the forest department or urban development department, etc.,” the Delhi Economic Survey released last month stated.

In August last year, DJB had informed NGT in an affidavit that it had identified 44 unauthorised colonies in Sangam Vihar while attempting to lay a sewage network, of which 33 are encroachments on forest land. According to its affidavit, 22 of these colonies are built entirely on forest land, while 11 are partly located on it.

Delhi has four prominent ridge areas. Around 7,784 hectares of land is considered as reserved forests. The largest ridge is the Southern Ridge, spread over an area of 6,200 hectares, followed by the Central Ridge spread over 864 hectares. The South-central Ridge in Mehrauli is spread over an area of 626 hectares and the Northern Ridge is spread over 87 hectares. Additionally, the Nanakpura south-central Ridge is spread over an area of seven hectares.