HC seeks Delhi govt, DJB's reply on plea alleging untreated sewage waste released in drain

The Delhi High Court has sought response of the Delhi government and Delhi Jal Board on a plea alleging that the waste collected by the government agencies from the septic tanks are discharged in Najafgarh drain and released into Yamuna river without being treated.

Justice V Kameswar Rao, who conducted the hearing through video conferencing, also made clear that the concerned District Magistrate of Najafgarh shall ensure that no waste collected from the septic tanks in the area shall be released in the drain or in any of the open drains in the locality.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 27.

Petitioner Yogesh Kumar, a resident of Najafgarh, said the area does not have any sewerage or water connections and in the absences of sewerage lines, the residents have installed septic tanks of varying sizes in their households.

The sewage waste in the households in this area is collected in septic tanks, which are being cleaned either by hiring the licencees or operators deployed by the government authorities or the unlicensed private operators.

The plea, through advocate Abhimanyu Mahajan, said the waste collected by these agencies from the septic tanks are required to be treated in sewage treatment plants, which is not being done.

The waste without being treated in sewage treatment plants, is directly discharged/released either into Najafgarh drain or any other open drains in the locality, which is then ultimately released into Yamuna river, it alleged.

Advocate Sangeeta Bharti, representing the Delhi Jal Board, said the licences were being issued by the civic agency but the supervision and implementation of the process is by a committee, constituted by the Delhi government and headed by the concerned District Magistrate.

Delhi government's advocate Rishikesh said he will take instructions on the issue and file an affidavit.