HC allows Yog Maya shrine to maintain Mehrauli water body

Taking note of the failure on the part of DDA and MCD to maintain a water body at a place where famous annual event 'Phool Walon ki Sair' is organised, the Delhi HC has permitted the Shree Yog Maya Mandir Management Society to take care of it.

Taking note of the failure on the part of DDA and MCD to maintain a water body at a place where famous annual event 'Phool Walon ki Sair' is organised, the Delhi High Court has permitted the Shree Yog Maya Mandir Management Society to take care of it.

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Justice Sanjiv Khanna accepted the petition filed by the Yog Maya society's counsel Arvind Shah that said the pond was part of the age-old Mata temple premises in Mehrauli area but DDA had acquired it to protect and prevent its degradation.

However, it failed to discharge its duties in maintaining the cleanliness, the lawyer argued and alleged that at least two bigha dry area of the pond was illegally encroached upon by people and no action was taken against them.

In an interim order recently, the court also directed DDA to take action against some private parties which have connected sewer lines to the pond.

The DDA and the MCD have been passing the buck on each other so far as the maintenance of the water body is concerned, Shah said.

Justice Khanna rejected DDA's argument that the water body falls in the ridge area and it can not be given to any private party for maintenance.

Seeking a status report from DDA as to whether the pond comes under the control of DDA or MCD, the court fixed August 11 as the next date for hearing.

The place has a significance as the pond is situated within the premises of Yog Maya shrine and its management organises a three-day-long festival 'Phool Walon ki Sair' by both Hindu and Muslim florists in October every year here.

The revellers carry out a procession of Goddess Yog Maya and decorate the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiyar Kaki with flowers and pray for a better flower season in the coming year.