Remove debris from Yamuna floodplain: NGT to Delhi, UP

THE NGT SAID DUMPING OF WASTE WAS A DIRECT SOURCE OF POLLUTION IN THE RIVER AND GAVE THE GOVTS 3 WEEKS’ TIME TO REMOVE DEBRIS

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh governments to remove debris on the floodplains of the Yamuna. It said indiscriminate dumping of waste was a direct source of pollution in the river.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson justice Swatanter Kumar said the department of irrigation of Delhi and UP would have to carry out these directions.

“The debris on either side of the river Yamuna, if not already removed, shall be removed within three weeks,” the bench said.

The green court said work to rejuvenate the Yamuna should not be stopped unnecessarily as pollution was rising daily and any “inaction on part of authorities cannot be tolerated”.

“In the interest of environment and public health, the government and all authorities concerned must perform their function and ensure that the Yamuna is rejuvenated to its original pristine status. Now, the project is being carried on in a planned, scientific and implementable manner and any obstruction in that behalf will not be tolerated,” the bench said.

The tribunal reconstituted the principal committee, formed to see the execution of the cleaning of the Yamuna, and included Shashi Shekhar, former secretary of ministry of water resources, as a special invitee.

It also convened a meeting of stakeholders, including officials from Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, on August 8 at 3pm at the tribunal to discuss the cleaning and rejuvenation of the Yamuna.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the Delhi government told the NGT that steps were being taken by the Delhi Jal Board to ensure that work to clean the Yamuna was completed with utmost expeditiousness.

“In relation to the project report of the second phase of the Yamuna cleaning, it is submitted that it has already been filed before the tribunal as well as sent to the principal committee, ministry of water resources,” the bench noted.

The directions came when the NGT was hearing a plea on the monitoring of implementation of the Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project 2017 project.

The tribunal had earlier banned open defecation and dumping of waste on the floodplains of the Yamuna and announced an environment compensation of ₹5,000 for violation of the order.