DPCC fines DDA, MCD ₹1 lakh each

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has said it has imposed an environmental compensation (EC) penalty of ₹1 lakh each on both the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for causing damage to the environment near the E1 and E2 pockets in Vasant Kunj.

DPCC was acting on a petition filed in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in September 2022 by the residents, alleging the movement of heavy vehicles on an unpaved road adjacent to the neighbourhood led to high dust pollution. It was also alleged that construction and demolition (C&D) waste was dumped openly. DPCC in its latest report submitted to NGT on January 11 said that showcause notices have been issued to both DDA and MCD in this regard.

“..DPCC has issued show cause notice on January 5, 2024, for imposition of Environmental Damage Compensation of ₹1 lakh to the Superintendent Engineer, DDA for past violations and damage to the environment. DPCC has also issued show cause notice on the same date for imposition of Environmental Damage Compensation of ₹1 lakh to the Deputy Commissioner (Najafgarh Zone), MCD for past violations and damage to the environment damage,” said the submission, adding that though EC penalty was supposed to be ₹50,000 each, the amount is doubled during winter — between October 15 and January 31.

In a submission made in the same case, MCD said it is already working to pave the road, adding that water is being sprinkled regularly to control dust.

“DPCC had issued instructions in December 2022 to take necessary action to prevent dust emissions by blacktopping the road not under the jurisdiction of DDA and carrying out adequate sprinkling on the roadside. In this regard, it is submitted that regular sprinkling of water has been done by MCD on the mentioned road. A work order (for blacktopping) has been issued to the contractor for commencing the work on January 5, 2024, and road work is currently under progress,” MCD said.

A section of the road, on which residents alleged that heavy vehicles pass by, falls under MCD, while the other section falls under DDA. The open land where waste was being dumped, also falls under DDA.

DDA had in November last year, informed the tribunal it had taken intensive measures to reduce dust pollution in the area, which included paving a 380-metre-long stretch, alongside the deployment of water sprinklers. In its latest submission made last week, DDA said it had cleared the debris and removed waste from the open land, subsequently building RCC walls around it. This, it said, was done to also prevent sewage from flowing into the open land, where a pond exists too.

“DDA has removed waste from the site and a broken boundary has been repaired so that illegal dumping of garbage and general waste does not reoccur in future,” the land-owning agency said, adding the land will be handed over to the Delhi Jal Board in the future to make a sewage treatment plant which can provide a permanent solution to the sewage problem in the nearby Mahipalpur area.

HT reached out to DDA and MCD but neither responded to queries regarding the fines.