‘Reconciliation of water bodies still incomplete’: Wetland authority tells NGT

The submission said key details such as the unique identification numbers, exact geo-coordinates and the nature of encroachments had not yet been shared completely by all agencies.

The State Wetland Authority (SWA) has carried out a fresh reconciliation of all water bodies in the city, however, the activity has been done in collaboration with 17 land owning agencies and data from all of them has not been shared yet, thus presenting an incomplete picture, the SWA told the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

‘Reconciliation of water bodies still incomplete’: Wetland authority tells NGT

The submission said key details such as the unique identification numbers, exact geo-coordinates and the nature of encroachments had not yet been shared completely by all agencies, despite letters sent to them in October and November.

“It is submitted that reconciliation of 1,045 water bodies in Delhi is completed through coordination with 17 land owning agencies in whose area the water body falls. According to the data available to the Wetland Authority of Delhi, khasra numbers of some water bodies are missing. These water bodies belong to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), forest department, MCD, revenue department…” the SWA submission dated December 12 mentioned.

The report also shared a list of every water body in Delhi with its current status, including the nature of encroachments. However, several water bodies have missing information, pertaining to exact locations or the nature of encroachments on top.

The report was submitted in response to NGT hearing a plea on the preservation and water bodies in Delhi. In February, the tribunal directed SWA to ascertain the area of each water body and compare it to revenue records to identify the shrinkage.

In May this year, NGT had asked the Delhi SWA to submit within eight weeks a fresh report on the status of all water bodies in the Capital, complete with khasra numbers, total area, geo-coordinates and the type of encroachments, if any. The directions had come after a previous affidavit too had missing information on these parameters.

The SWA was also supposed to disclose other details, including the status of revival.

“(The report) reveals that many of the water bodies do not exist now, and this could result in shrinkage and ultimately converting them for other purposes. Hence, they are required to be traced out, and restorative measures are required to be taken,” a bench headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava had said in May.

As per SWA data, there are 1,045 water bodies in revenue records and 322 were identified using satellite imagery. However, only 674 such water bodies were actually found on the ground.

The latest submission also added that the revenue department has failed to share the necessary data required for the revival of the 322 water bodies which were identified using satellite imagery.

“As per the ground truthing report of the revenue department…with respect to 322 sites identified by GSDL, only 43 had water present in them. SWA requested the revenue department to submit an action taken report of the 43 sites…but no response has been received..” the submission added.