Polluted lake behind Tughlaqabad Ft: HC notice to ASI, SDMC,

The Delhi High Court today issued notice to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), SDMC and DPCC on a PIL related to a polluted artificial waterbody created in the land behind the 14th century Tughlaqabad Fort.
A bench of justices B D Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva issued the notice to ASI, South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SMDC) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and listed the matter for hearing on March 4.
It also directed Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to give a map indicating extent of the waterbody and its location along with layout plan of the surrounding park before the next date, saying it has to be first ascertained whether the waterbody is a natural lake as per the records.

The court also expressed its unhappiness with a meeting held by the various authorities on directions of the court to explore the possibility of converting the waterbody and 200 acres of surrounding land into a biodiversity park on the lines of Yamuna biodiversity park.
"None of them appears to be aware as to what has to be done," the bench said after perusing the minutes of the meeting and added, "What kind of meeting has been conducted?"
"Actually none of you are interested in Delhi. All of you should be renamed," the court said.

The court was hearing the PIL filed by one Manoj Kumar seeking clean water for animals and birds in the city.

His petition has said water treatment plants should be set up for purifying water to save birds, animals, trees and the environment.
The petitioner has said that there was a forested area near Tughlaqabad Fort on DDA land and local residents were running illegal factories using chemicals and their polluted, hazardous water was flowing into the forest which has created an "artificial lake".
Animals, including monkeys, peacocks, deer and birds, were drinking the polluted water and dying in large number, Kumar's petition has alleged.
On February 4, the court had asked the civic authorities why sewage water cannot be recycled as is done in several foreign nations and to come with positive answers.

Earlier, the high court had directed the Chief Secretary to convene a meeting of officials concerned of DDA, DJB, MCD, DPCC and the forest department to chalk out a concrete proposal for treatment of water in the waterbody.