NGT panel seeks action on sewage in south Delhi drains

The committee said the DJB, PWD and MCD have been asked to fix these gaps and submit an action taken report at the earliest

Following complaints of sewage being discharged into a stormwater drain passing through the south Delhi neighbourhoods of Malviya Nagar and Greater Kailash, a National Green Tribunal (NGT) appointed expert committee has informed the green court that it has carried out multiple inspections along the drain and directed agencies such as the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to carry out similar checks to identify points from where the sewage is entering the nearly 3.5km-long drain.

The NGT was hearing a plea filed by social activist Sunil Kumar Aledia, who had alleged that not only sewage was flowing through the drain, but debris was also found dumped in it. (HT Photo)

The committee, comprising of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and the district magistrate (South), said the agencies have also been asked to fix these gaps and submit an action taken report (ATR) at the earliest.

In a submission to the NGT, the DM (south) said the expert committee carried out inspections on April 28 and May 4 and found sewage to be part of the drain at multiple locations near Malviya Nagar’s C block, A block and the drain along August Kranti Marg.

“A joint meeting was then held on May 9 with all the departments involved. Directions were issued to DJB, PWD and MCD to find out the damages and leaks in the drain and adjoining sewer lines and take remedial measures. After repairing the damages, an ATR will then have to be submitted,” the DM (south) said in the submission to the NGT.

The NGT was hearing a plea filed by social activist Sunil Kumar Aledia, who had alleged that not only sewage was flowing through the drain, but debris was also found dumped in it. Aledia had filed his petition in September last year, after which the NGT in March this year asked for an expert committee to investigate the problem.

“The sewage problem becomes particularly acute along August Kranti Marg, towards Andrews Ganj. The problem has become increasingly worse since 2018 and no action is being taken,” Aledia said, stating the drain meets a larger drain at Basant Kaur Marg, before eventually ending up in the Yamuna.

The NGT had last month formed a similar expert committee to look into the grievances raised by residents living in different parts of south Delhi along another stormwater drain — the 6.5 km-long Kushak drain, where sewage was once again found flowing. The NGT had asked the committee to trap this sewage and find the solution to the problem of toxic gas getting trapped in the drain, which had been covered up by agencies at most locations.