NEW DELHI: Ahead of the monsoon season, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has summoned Chief Secretary and the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) over delays in desilting operations in city.
The Tribunal’s directive comes in response to a submission by the Delhi government’s Irrigation and Flood Control Department (I&FCD), which assured that the desilting of 22 major drains would be completed by May 31. However, unresolved complications surrounding the desilting of covered stretches of the Kushak and Sunehri Pul drains in South Delhi remain a key concern. The department said this issue is expected to be addressed in an upcoming meeting with the Chief Secretary.
In its order dated April 9, a bench led by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel expressed dismay over the lack of tangible progress, despite a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary earlier this year.
“Considering the gravity of the situation, and the fact that despite the joint meeting convened by the Chief Secretary, no meaningful progress has been made, and with the monsoon approaching, uncertainty still looms over the responsible executing agency, we find it appropriate to summon the MCD Commissioner in person and direct the virtual presence of the Delhi Chief Secretary on the next hearing date,” the bench observed.
The Tribunal has also summoned the Chief Executive Officer of the Delhi Jal Board to join the proceedings virtually, urging swift and coordinated action across departments.
The NGT was informed that a joint meeting was held on March 7 involving the I&FCD, MCD, and other stakeholders, where the responsibility for drain cleaning was assigned to the MCD. A joint committee comprising officials from MCD and I&FCD was formed, and an expression of interest was floated to outsource the desilting of the box sections of the Kushak drain and similar enclosed stretches.
However, counsel representing one of the intervenors alleged that no action had been taken to clear the covered sections of the drain running through Defence Colony, an area that experienced severe waterlogging and inconvenience during last year’s monsoon.
Taking serious note of the lapse, the Tribunal stated, “Given the critical nature of the issue, the MCD must act without further delay. Unfortunately, there has been no measurable progress since the March 7 meeting, and the situation remains unchanged.”