NGT says DDA did not explain how it cleaned south Delhi lake in one day

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has criticised the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) over its claim of cleaning the Satpula Lake in south Delhi within a single day. The green tribunal rebuked the land-owning agency for submitting just three photographs in an attempt to show that the lake was cleaned.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson justice Prakash Shrivastava noted that the DDA’s report lacked details on how the lake’s clean-up was achieved in such a short span. It directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to collect fresh samples from the water body to assess its quality.

The tribunal’s May order to clean the lake followed its suo motu cognizance of reports highlighting untreated sewage from Khirki village being pumped into the lake. In July, DPCC inspected the lake and found it “highly eutrophic,” with excessive algal blooms caused by nutrient-rich sewage, depleting oxygen levels and rendering it inhospitable to aquatic life.

“DDA has filed a report dated September 28 disclosing that the work of revival of Satpula Lake was handed over to Rotary International, District 3011, and the Rotary Club… Nothing has been disclosed as to how, in one day, the lake was cleaned,” said the bench in the order dated December 16, seeking a detailed report from DDA on the clean-up.

Shrivastava noted that duckweed and algae were still seen on the lake’s surface when the land development body carried out an inspection on September 2.

“The report said that DDA cleaned the lake the day after the inspection. By merely referring to three photographs, an attempt has been made to demonstrate that the lake is now clean without any further reliable material,” the bench added.

The case stems from a news report in April that showed that sewage water was being pumped into the lake from a large drain in Khirki village. NGT took suo motu cognizance of the report and told DPCC to inspect the water body in May.

DPCC said the water in the lake was “highly eutrophic” and required immediate attention. The DPCC report also said that the lake’s water level was low and that the water was mostly “eutrophic” – exhibiting high algal bloom due to nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous entering it in large quantities. Such water bodies have limited oxygen and cannot support aquatic life.

NGT in its latest order noted that DPCC also collected a fresh sample from the lake on November 28, which found that the dissolved oxygen was zero and the ammoniacal nitrogen fairly high. It has given the pollution body four weeks to gather another sample and test the lake’s parameters. NGT will hear the matter next on April 15, 2025.

DDA did not respond to HT’s queries on NGT’s observations.