-Mohit
NGT criticized DDA for not ceasing encroachments on floodplains. The bench had sought this information in the October order, but the report was only submitted on the morning of the hail The National Green Tribunal(NGT) reprimanded the Delhi Development Authority( DDA) for failing to misbehave with its 2019 order to remove encroachments from the Yamuna floodplains, adding that analogous directives to the land agency from the Delhi high court and the Supreme Court have also fallen on deaf cognizance.
A bench headed by NGT speaker Justice Prakash Shrivastava appertained to its rearmost directions from October 15, 2024, seeking details from DDA on the total number of encroachments on the floodplains in the swash’s 22 km stretch in Delhi, particularly in Majnu ka Tilla. The bench had sought this information in the October order, but the report was only submitted on the morning of the hail, violating court- commanded deadlines.
The learned counsel for the DDA submits that a dupe of the report has been given just now The bench directed the DDA ato file their detailed affidavit within
Bench said, “ In malignancy of orders by NGT, the Delhi high court, and the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the lowland of River Yamuna in Delhi has not been cleared from encroachment, ”
It emphasised that floodplains can not be enthralled, as similar encroachments harm the swash’s ecology. NGT had originally directed the DDA, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee( DPCC), and the Delhi government’s timber department to take action against encroachments, but little progress has been made.
Bench further directed DDA, DPCC and Timber Department to take action as per the law , crticizing the repeated non-compliance of the order. .
Last month, the bench flagged inordinate concretisation in six ongoing systems, including Asita East, two casting yards, two ghats, and the now-defunct Renaissance Bus Depot point. Bench in its last order directed DDA to apply recommendations from the National Mission for Clean Ganga( NMCG) to restore ecological balance. NGT has also been pushing for the completion of Yamuna lowland discrimination, a process that has faced repeated detainments. In March 2024, it ordered DDA and the Delhi government to finalise the discrimination using a one- in-100-year flood tide probability model rather of the before one- in-25-year approach. still, this directive remains unimplemented. NGT observed that Delhi Development Authority( DDA) and Delhi Jal Board( DJB) not agreeing on a coordinated action plan and urges them to follow a cordinated plan.
National Green Tribunal( NGT) has observed that the State or itsmachinery can not suffer a violation of the right to clean terrain on any rationale. The green body was hearing a matter regarding health hazards to residers because of a stagnant open drain in south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj.
” We reiterate that the right to a clean and healthy terrain is a abecedarian right and the State and its machinery can not suffer a violation of that right on any rationale, and the environmental issues involved in the case have to be resolved by the officers of all the concerned departments by having a holistic approach and a coordinated and consolidated action plan,”
The bench directed the DDA Vice-chairman, DJB principal administrative officer, Delhi chief clerk and manager of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to” deputize, authorise and empower” officers to attend the proceedings physically.
The Bench stated that the deputed officers must “consult with other officers to find a coordinated resolution of the environmental issues involved, agree on an action plan with specific allocation of resources and timelines.
