NGT imposes ₹25 crore fine on MCD, DJB over Yamuna pollution

DJB was pulled up for connecting drains carrying sewage and polluted waste with stormwater ones, and not maintaining separate lines for the past few years, while the MCD was penalised for covering drains, altering their shape and polluting the Yamuna

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday imposed environmental compensation of ₹25.22 crore on each of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for failing to check pollution of stormwater drains and subsequently, the Yamuna.

A polluted Yamuna. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The DJB was pulled up for connecting drains carrying sewage and polluted waste with stormwater ones, and not maintaining separate lines for the past few years, while the MCD was penalised for covering drains, altering their shape and polluting the Yamuna. Both bodies were asked to deposit the fine with the Central Pollution Control Board within two months.

“This is a failure of discharge of statutory function on the part of DJB, which has not been able to maintain difference in the drains and therefore, for such failure undoubtedly, DJB is responsible,” the NGT order, issued by a four-judge panel, said.

It said that the water pollution issue was aggravated by MCD allowing concretisation of drains across the city. “The grievance and plight of residents... have been aggravated by a wholly unmindful and illegal activity on the part of MCD in covering stormwater drain by constructing four chamber RCC structure and that too, not for the purpose of anything relating to protection of environment but only to make additional land available for parking/road cum parking. Therefore, even MCD has contributed to the situation worsening by such unmindful illegal act,” NGT said, adding that by covering the drains, MCD made cleaning and desilting drains practically largely impossible.

The court noted that stormwater drains in Delhi were designed well and should not be polluted so that they can be used for groundwater recharge.

The order also quoted a 2016 report by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) that made remarks on encroachment of natural drainage channels, covering of drains and constructions over them, silting of drains, and mixing of sewage and drainage. The order was passed in connection with a case filed by BLK (North) GK-I residents’ welfare association (RWA) that stated that residents of the area had been suffering for the last 25 years due to the illegal discharge of untreated sewage in stormwater Kushak drain.

Citing it, NGT directed partial removal of cover across the length of stormwater drains at different intervals so that not only cleaning or desilting becomes convenient and possible, but also so gases and foul smells do not shoot out from a single point.

NGT also directed DJB to take steps for immediate diversion or tapping of drains carrying sewage meeting the stormwater drain by taking appropriate steps within three months.

MCD and DJB did not respond to queries on the issue.