National Green Tribunal permits dredging in Yamuna

Noting that dredging needs to be carried out in public interest and maintain the flow of the river, the National Green Tribunal today permitted Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to carry out the process in Yamuna at Wazirabad and Jagatpur bund areas.
Dredging is the removal of sediments and debris from the bottom of rivers and other water bodies.
A bench, headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swantanter Kumar, however, directed the concerned contractor to pay Rs 500 per cubic meter for the material given to him under the contract which will be used for environmental restoration purpose.
"The weight/volume of the material that is removed from the site by the contractor in terms of the payment shall be measured in the presence of the officer nominated by the Revenue Department in addition to the contractor and DJB.

"The random samples of transported material shall also be taken and analysed by DPCC," the bench said while posting the matter for next hearing on May 18.
The order came on a petition by Rahul Nagar seeking to initiate contempt proceedings for non-compliance of its order to stop illegal mining being carried out in Yamuna river bed.

In December last year, the Tribunal had constituted a committee to weigh and dispose around 70,000 cubic metre of sand and clay lying on the riverbed of Yamuna.
Earlier, the green panel had asked DJB to ensure that no sand mining is permitted in the name of dredging of Yamuna and directed Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to take samples of the dredged material and report to the Tribunal.

The Tribunal had on September 1 directed Delhi government to stop mining being carried out without requisite environmental clearance at Wazirabad and Jagatpur bund.