NEW DELHI: A complex is under construction for the Sahitya Kala Parishad, the cultural wing of the Delhi government, on an enclosed plot of land in the village of Budhela, located in West Delhi’s Vikaspuri. Residents of the village alleged that the construction was taking place on the land where a pond once stood and demanded restoration.
According to locals, a “johar” (a traditional village pond) was located at the site. The pond slumped due to neglect and eventually dried up. The depression left by the dried-up pond was filled, and government officials walled off the site until construction began recently, locals said.
Paras Tyagi, a Budhela villager and activist, said the land originally belonged to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). “In 2002, the DDA allotted the land to the Sahitya Kala Parishad, a cultural wing of the Delhi Government. However, the plot had remained vacant for almost 20 years until 2020-21, when the government announced the construction of a cultural centre on the land.”
“A 2003 order from the Delhi High Court restricted a Johar’s filing up and construction. Still, construction on the site began in February this year,” Tyagi claimed.
He stated that the land is not stable enough for construction as the heavy rains over the past week damaged the under-construction building and put labourers’ lives in danger.
Documents from a green society— Delhi Parks and Gardens Society— indicate that four ponds were originally listed in Budhela village, including the johar in question. Revenue records also confirm the land’s designation as GM johar (gram johar or village pond) with khasra number 22/14(4-8).
According to the Wetland Authority’s records, the pond covered 0.6 hectares. In August 2021, the Wetland Authority included the pond in a list of 1,040 waterbodies identified and assigned unique identification numbers.
Locals say their calls for the pond’s revival have fallen on deaf ears as the authorities continue constructing the complex. “A new building will only add to the congestion prevalent in our area. It would be better if they just restored the land to its original status as a pond,” said another resident.
No response was received from the Sahitya Kala Parishad or the DDA on queries regarding the matter.