NGT notice to Centre, city govt over choked Dallupura canal in east Delhi

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday issued notices to the Union environment ministry, Delhi government, Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation while hearing a petition on the pollution in Dallupura canal, which has been completely choked with garbage.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday issued notices to the Union environment ministry, Delhi government, Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation while hearing a petition on the pollution in Dallupura canal, which has been completely choked with garbage.

The NGT order came on the plea asking for immediate removal of municipal waste and plastic bags from the Dallupura canal.

“The NGT further directed the authorities to immediately remove the waste from the canal and file a compliance report stating the methodology adopted and how they are managing the muck that has been removed,” petitioner Vikrant Tongad, an environment activist, told HT.

The order came on the plea asking for immediate removal of municipal waste and plastic bags from the canal.

“The instant application highlights the sad plight of the drains/nallas on water drains which are completely choked with municipal waste and plastics which have been indiscriminately dumped in the drains clogging them and virtually turning them into mass dump yards.

“This is not only violative of the environmental laws including the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and the Rules made there under especially the Municipal Solid Waste Rules, Plastic Waste Management Rules but is great hazard to public health causing innumerable diseases among other hazards,” the plea, filed through advocates Sanjay Upadhyay and Saliq Shafique, said.

“Indiscriminate dumping of solid waste in the natural water body not only pollutes the water body but also severely damages the ecology in the area. There are catena of judgments which conclude that such pollution causes injury to public health and is also violative of the environmental laws,” it said.

The plea has also sought directions to form a committee to inspect all polluted water bodies in the city and submit a report including a time-bound action plan.