Delhi HC seeks info over release of industrial effluents into Yamuna

New Delhi, The Delhi High Court has sought information from DSIDC on the curbs placed on untreated water released into the Yamuna and asked it to state if all industries came under its jurisdiction.

A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Manmeet P S Arora directed the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation to file an affidavit and give details of any common effluent treatment plants installed and supervised by it and if more units were required.

The court was dealing with the matter relating to waterlogging in the national capital, and took note of the status of the 37 sewage treatment plants for domestic and residential areas and said the delay in installation of flow meters in 11 such plants revealed an "unsatisfactory position".

The court "refrained" from taking any action against the DJB official concerned after he gave an assurance that the flow meters will be installed within a month, and clarified if action was not taken, it would not hesitate in taking strict action, including contempt, to ensure its directions were properly complied with.

"The issue of STPs is being monitored and is being dealt with by this court since April 2024. In any event since November 12, 2024 no steps appear to have been taken by the DJB for installation of flow meters," said the court in an order passed on January 28.

It added, "Upon being queried as to why tenders are being called in piecemeal, Bhupesh Kumar submits that qua the 22 STPs, the flow meters were installed as part of the construction project itself almost four to five years ago. This clearly gives an impression to the court that the DJB has not taken the orders of this court seriously and till date only estimates being prepared is the answer that Bhupesh Kumar has given to the court. This position is completely not acceptable," it said.

The court was dealing with petitions, including two suo motu cases, on the waterlogging issue in Delhi and on the issue of rainwater harvesting and easing traffic jams in the national capital during monsoon and other periods.

When the court asked whether the STPs took care of all the sewage being drained into Yamuna River, it was stated that industrial effluents were under the jurisdiction of the DSIDC and STPs only catered to sewage from domestic and residential areas.

The court sought the presence of the executive engineer responsible for CETPs on the next date of hearing and directed, "The DSIDC shall now be part of these proceedings and is impleaded ".

"The DSIDC shall file an affidavit of a competent official giving the following information: Whether all the industries and the effluents from the industries come within its jurisdiction? How many CETPs have been installed or are supervised by the DSIDC? Are there any more CETPs required to be installed to curb untreated water flowing into the river?" the court ordered.

In the order, the court asked the MCD take instructions and file a specific affidavit on the allegation that there was no outflow of sewage from Green Park Extension due to a blockage.

The DMRC was directed to respond to the allegation that a 113-metre-long drain under Aurobindo Marg, which was built at the time of construction of the underground yellow line of metro and carried sewage discharge from SDA, Green Park, Hauz Khaz, etc., was not operational and therefore led to flooding.

The matter would be heard in February.

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