Clean drains in Vasundhara: NGT to Ghaziabad municipality

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation to clean up and remove all waste from the stormwater drains in the Vasundhara township within a week.
A bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim expressed dissatisfaction over the work of the municipal corporation after it perused photographs showing that drains still remained blocked.
"Counsel for the applicant has produced certain photographs to show that the drain is still blocked and demolishing of illegal structures has not been completed.
"On behalf of Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam it is stated that statement so made is incorrect. Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam has taken required steps to comply with the direction of this tribunal and has made drains free from obstruction.

"However, on perusal of the photographs filed in the tribunal, it is obvious that the Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam may have done some work. But it is not as expected and drains still appear to be blocked due to MSW or the debris etc. The officer present in the tribunal undertakes that he will ensure that the obstruction in the drain is removed within three days and he will report compliance," the bench said.
The tribunal also directed the municipal body to take requisite steps to prevent pollution and provide necessary medical assistance to the residents in the area.

The bench said it would consider the court commissioner's report and the compliance report filed by the Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam on October 6, the next date of hearing.

The green panel had earlier appointed advocate Kush Sharma as the court commissioner to inspect the drains.
It had directed him to prepare a sketch of the inspected area for depicting the findings, with the assistance of an engineer from the pollution control board.
The tribunal had directed the civic authorities to clean the rain water drains in sector 16 of Vasundhara colony and free them from all waste coming from the sewers in the nearby Prahlad Garhi village.
The plea filed by Vasundhara residents K P Singh and others had alleged that the rainwater drain has been converted into an open sewer in Ghaziabad.

He had sought its maintenance and a direction to clean all the drains in the area as it caused hardship and adversely affected the environment and the health of the local residents.
It had alleged that the drains remain choked throughout the year and hazardous sewer waste overflows on the streets, releasing "highly poisonous" gases which make the lives of the residents miserable.