DPCC fines MCD, DDA ₹5L for groundwater contamination

The tribunal had sought information about RWHs set up close to stormwater drains, leading to sewage reaching the groundwater table.

Published on: Sep 4, 2025, 04:04:02 IST

By Jasjeev Gandhiok

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The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it has imposed interim environmental compensation (EC) of ₹5 lakh each on the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for improper maintenance of rainwater harvesting system (RWH) leading to groundwater contamination.

DPCC fines MCD, DDA ₹5L for groundwater contamination

The NGT has been hearing multiple pleas on groundwater contamination in the city, such as societies in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka. The tribunal had sought information about RWHs set up close to stormwater drains, leading to sewage reaching the groundwater table.

The DPCC in its report dated September 1, said it carried out inspections of RWH under both civic bodies in the city. Out of 1,715 rainwater harvesting systems constructed by the MCD, the DPCC inspected 29 sites and said it found violations at some of them.

Similarly, the DDA submitted a list of 649 rainwater harvesting systems, of which, DPCC inspected 30 sites and found violations at multiple sites.

The DPCC said it had earlier served showcause notices to both the DDA and the MCD to take corrective actions. However, no action was not taken as per these inspections.

“As decided by the competent authority in the DPCC, interim environmental compensation of ₹5 lakh has been imposed on the DDA and the MCD for causing damage to the environment by way of polluting the groundwater through faulty rainwater harvesting systems,” the DPCC mentioned in its report.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jasjeev Gandhiok
Jasjeev Gandhiok is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times, where he covers environment, climate change, the clean energy transition and wildlife at the National Bureau. Gandhiok has over a decade of experience in journalism and is based in Delhi. He has reported extensively on Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). This includes the region's air pollution woes, a polluted Yamuna and on urban wildlife still thriving in the region. He joined HT in October 2021. Prior to that, he had five-year stint at The Times of India in Delhi, where he also covered Delhi, with a focus on environment and wildlife. Gandhiok has covered some recent events around the Capital too, ranging from the farmers' protests, the northeast Delhi riots and the CAA-NRC protests, reporting from the ground on all of these. He also travels across the country to report on how environment and climate change impact everyday life, while also writing on endangered species. His reports in 2019 on toxic leachate from Delhi's landfills led to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) taking suo motu cognisance and ultimately asking the state government to start bio-mining to flatten and remove all three landfills in the capital. He also closely tracks the implementation of government policies on climate, renewable energy and environmental protection. His focus remains on impactful, public-interest journalism which explains how environmental decisions affect people's everyday lives.Read More

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