Only 18.2% of penalties recovered from violators of Yamuna protection rules over 8 last years

According to the Delhi government's action report, the number of challans issued peaked at 1,255 in 2023, and has since been on the decline.

While the dumping of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, garbage, and illegal parking continue to threaten the eco-sensitive Yamuna floodplains, government data reveals that agencies have recovered a mere 18.2% of penalties from violators over the last eight years.

The action report adds that around 1,424.23 acres of land have been reclaimed in the past three years. (Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times)

According to the Delhi government’s action taken report (released in April) on floodplain protection, 4,241 challans regarding such violations have been issued with penalties totaling over ₹8.51 crore over the last eight years, while the recovered amount currently stands at ₹1.55 crore — less than 19% of the penalties imposed.

The report adds that over eight years, 88,574 metric tons (MT) of C&D waste and 4,998MT of garbage lying in floodplains have been moved to municipal waste management sites.

The number of challans issued peaked at 1,255 in 2023, and has since been on the decline. The report states that one challan, amounting to ₹50,000, was issued in 2018; 186 challans in 2019 ( ₹90.4 lakh); 54 in 2020 ( ₹21.3 lakh); 776 in 2021 ( ₹1.22 crore); 1,167 challans in 2022 ( ₹2.75 crore); 1,255 challans in 2023 ( ₹1.29 crore); 582 in 2024 ( ₹1.66 crore), and 220 challans worth ₹44.7 lakh in 2025.

To prevent illegal dumping of C&D waste and encroachment on the floodplain, an official said the DDA has deployed 369 security guards around the clock at vulnerable points along with four patrolling vehicles between Wazirabad Barrage and Okhla Barrage. “GPS monitoring of security guards and patrolling vehicles is being done. 90 CCTV cameras have been installed at vulnerable locations to check the illegal dumping of malba in the floodplain area, a government official said.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had earlier ordered the demarcation of the floodplain. Another NGT order banned the dumping of any kind of waste or construction or demolition debris in the floodplain. Anyone who is found violating the order is liable to pay an environmental compensation with penalty starting from ₹50,000. “The demarcation of the 1-in-25-year floodplain of the River Yamuna pertains from Wazirabad to Jaitpur on both banks. 100% work for demarcation of flood plains completed. 591 Bollards (marked with GPS Coordinates), 375 Flag Posts & 27 sign boards for the entire stretch from Wazirabad barrage to Jaitpur have been installed,” the report on floodplain states.

The report adds that around 1,424.23 acres of land have been reclaimed in the past three years. More than 10,500 jhuggis/ pucca structures, 25 religious structures, 7 dairies, 3 cricket grounds, 200 cattle sheds, 20 nurseries, and 40 borewell grounds have been demolished.

Bhim Singh Rawat, activist and member of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People claimed: “When it comes to dumping construction waste in the floodplain and encroachment upon it, government agencies have themselves been among the biggest violators...There has also been little effective action to check the disposal of religious waste and offerings into the river during festival seasons across the city’s main river stretch.”