HC pulls up Delhi government over polluted Najafgarh drain

The Delhi High Court has pulled up the city government for not cleaning the polluted Najafgarh drain, which is affecting the health of residents due to toxic gases emitted from it and which later merges into the Yamuna.

A division bench of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Deepa Sharma asked the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to file a status report indicating the steps taken to clean the Najafgarh drain.

Expressing displeasure, the court said: "There is no governance in Delhi. In parts of it unauthorised colonies are built where there is problem of water logging, citizens throwing garbage everywhere, drains are not clean, Yamuna river is not clean. Nobody is working to make the city clean. You (government and other authorities) can't tinker with the nature. These are natural resources, Yamuna can't be treated like this. Something has to be done."

Asking the civic body and the DJB to submit the status report, the bench said: "The situation has to be solved and implemented."

It further said the court had already issued direction that no sewage flows into any drain meant to carry rain water but despite that it seems that has not been followed.

The court order came recently as it was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by residents of Shakti Nagar through advocate Shiv Charan Garg, alleging that the drain is passing through the colony and spoiling the health of people.

The PIL said that due to pollution, people have to spend a lot of money in frequently repairing electronic items like air conditioners, fridges, and the like.

Swine flu, chikungunya etc have affected the people, said the plea, adding that breeding mosquitoes also spread diseases in the area and rest of Delhi as the drain flows into the Yamuna.