Unhappy with the lethargic attitude of the authorities to clean Yamuna, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday sought to know how many people have been prosecuted for throwing waste in and along the river and how much fine has been collected so far.
“DDA and all other authorities shall place a specific report as to the persons who have been directed to pay compensation and the amount of compensation recovered from the persons who were found throwing waste into river Yamuna or dumping other waste on the bank of the river Yamuna,” ordered a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar.
The NGT had announced a fine of Rs 5,000 for dumping waste in Yamuna and Rs 50,000 for disposing debris in the river.
The Tribunal on Friday made it clear that all industries operating in residential/ domestic areas and discharging any waste will have to shut down in a month’s time since they are a pertinent source of pollution in the drains.
The municipal corporations and the Delhi Jal Board were also directed to submit a report on cleaning of drains.
On the demarcation of floodplains, the Department of Irrigation of the Delhi government has been directed to provide a detailed floodplain map of the city to the DDA and to Uttar Pradesh in three days.
Following this, the Uttar Pradesh government will have to provide requisite data on the area of the Yamuna flood plain within its territorial limits from Palla to Wazirabad and downstream from Okhla.
The DDA will then ensure physical demarcation of the flood plain area within one week thereafter, the NGT has ordered.
Meanwhile, the Tribunal had to once again reiterate its power and jurisdiction to attach property and direct civil imprisonment for failing to act on its order on revitalization of river Yamuna.
“Suffice it is say that all authorities concerned would not compel the Tribunal to travel into that realm of jurisdiction, of the Tribunal and perform their statutory obligations and compliance to the Judgment to protect the environment, prevent further pollution of river Yamuna and restore it to its original pristine and quality,” the Bench said.
