Delhi's Drain Desilting Efforts Face Delays

The Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department informs the National Green Tribunal of ongoing desilting work on 22 city drains, facing delays in the Kushak and Sunehri Pul areas. Efforts to resolve these issues involve inter-agency collaboration before the May 31 deadline, with further tribunal discussions scheduled for April 9.

The Delhi government's Irrigation and Flood Control Department has updated the National Green Tribunal on its progress in desilting 22 of the city's drains, assuring completion by May 31. However, challenges remain with the Kushak and Sunehri Pul areas, which require resolution within the next 10 days.

The National Green Tribunal was reviewing the desilting status of 24 drains connected to the Yamuna river. An order from February 27 by the tribunal, led by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, along with judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and experts A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, emphasized the need for an undertaking from I&FCD's additional chief secretary on the project’s progress timeline.

Despite I&FCD's affidavit stating that the desilting of covered drains rests with 'drain-covering agencies,' the department lacks authority to remove coverings, prompting a request to the Delhi municipal corporation, which has yet to respond. The tribunal will reconvene on April 9 to further address these issues.