HC raps civic bodies over cleaning of polluted lake near fort

Irked over the way civic agencies were dealing with the issue of cleaning up a polluted water body in the forested area behind the 14th century Tughlakabad Fort, the Delhi High Court today directed the Chief Secretary to convene a high-level meeting to tackle the matter.
While issuing the direction to the Chief Secretary of Delhi government, a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and I S Mehta also observed that human beings were the "biggest enemy" of the environment and monuments.
"What would be the heritage and environment we would leave our coming generations?" the bench asked while pulling up Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and other civic agencies for not coming out with any remedial measures for tackling the problem which has been admittedly caused due to lack of a sewerage system in the area.

The authorities were unable to come up with a solution even after holding two meetings on December 10 and 18 this year on the directions of the court.
The court on December 3 had directed that a meeting be held among officials concerned of Department of Horticulture and Delhi Jal Board as well as a nominee of Member Secretary of Delhi Pollution Control Committee "to prepare a road map of the remedial measures".
"On going through the minutes of meeting we are not all happy with the manner in which the matter has been dealt with. Issue concerns pollution in a water body near a heritage site. Unfortunately, no remedial measures have been proposed in a clear-cut manner.

"We, therefore, feel the matter be taken up at a higher level. Chief Secretary to convene meeting of officials concerned of DDA, DJB, MCD, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), forest department to chalk out a concrete proposal for treatment of water as per our order," the bench said.