Delhi Wetland Authority sets up panel for grievance redressal

The Delhi Wetland Authority has constituted a committee in all districts for hearing the grievances of the public related to wetlands in the capital.

It has also set up a seven-member "Technical Committee" to review brief documents, management plans and give advice on any technical matters, according to an order issued by the Environment Department.

The grievance committee will have the district magistrate concerned as its chairman. It will also include the area representatives of the Delhi Jal Board, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, and the respective water body-owning agency.

The grievance committee will redress the complaints at the local level and give recommendations to the wetland authority for a final decision, according to the order.

The technical committee, chaired by Madhu Verma, Chief Economist, World Resources Institute, will review brief documents, wetland management plans of various departments and advise on any technical matter referred by the wetland Authority.

It will also have Pranay Lal from the Prime Minister's Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council as its member.

The panel will list out activities to be prohibited or to be regulated in wetlands and its zone of influence.