The Hindu : Front Page : Supreme Court summons Delhi civic officials

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 13, 2005

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Supreme Court summons Delhi civic officials

Legal Correspondent

"Why no affidavit yet over Yamuna action plan despite Court orders?"

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday expressed its anguish over "indifference" of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Delhi Jal Board in not submitting to the Court the much talked about action plan to clean the Yamuna even three months after they had been ordered to do so.

A Bench of the Chief Justice, Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, and Justice C.K. Thakker directed the MCD Commissioner and the CEO of the Jal Board to be present in the Court during the second week of next month to explain the reason for non-filing of the affidavit as per the order.

The Bench wanted to pass an order on Monday constituting a committee of experts to monitor the cleaning of the Yamuna but said that in view of non-cooperation by the MCD and the Jal Board it could not do so.

The Solicitor-General, G.E. Vahanvati, informed the Court that Urban Development Secretary Anil Baijal had agreed to chair the committee in his personal capacity and social activist Sunita Narain had been chosen as another member. He told the Court that both the MCD and the DJB were yet to file their affidavits on such a sensitive issue. In its affidavit the Centre had cited lack of monitoring and review as the reasons for delay in implementation of the Action Plan and suggested a three-pronged monitoring mechanism to ensure completion within the time schedule. While a monthly review should be conducted by the Jal Board, the State Chief Secretary should conduct a quarterly review and a committee constituted by the Supreme Court should conduct a six-monthly review, it was proposed.

The Centre had suggested establishment of sewage treatment plants on the banks of the Yamuna, on the lines of the Thames in London, to ensure discharge of clean water into the river. It said that the main drains to the Yamuna still continued to carry almost 50 per cent of untreated sewage and hence it was advisable that water was treated at the mouth of the drain before discharge into the river.

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