NGT raps Delhi govt over mosquito breeding in city

With city residents facing constant threat of dengue and malaria, the National Green Tribunal on Monday slammed the Delhi government and civic authorities here for their lackadaisical approach on the issue.

“You have to do something. It can’t be left like this. You can’t allow malaria and dengue to spread like this in the city. Go and inspect the area in question and file status report,” a Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

“We direct DDA, Revenue Department of NCT of Delhi, Health Department of NCT of Delhi and SDMC to conduct a joint inspection of the area and file status report with regard to the status of land, nature of land, floating of water (polluted or otherwise) and steps that public authority should take to ensure that there is no health hazards resulting from such floated of water,” the Bench said. It directed them to file the status report within three weeks from Monday and posted the matter for next hearing on January 11, 2016.

The green panel directed Flood and Irrigation Department of Delhi government, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and SDMC to inspect the area and submit their report with regard to status of land and the quality of water that is accumulated near the colony. The observations came while hearing a plea by a housing society, Kalindi Residents Welfare Association, which had claimed that swamps and marshy lands, which were lying idle without development, behind the Kalindi colony were acting as breeding ground for mosquitoes.

“A large tract of marshy land behind Kalindi Colony has turned into a swamp putting residents at risk of diseases such as dengue and malaria while agencies like Flood and Irrigation Department of Delhi government, DDA and SDMC were shifting their responsibilities,” the plea submitted.

SDMC, in an affidavit filed before the Tribunal, had said that it had taken various measures to prevent mosquito breeding near the site in question. However, since the land is with the DDA, therefore it has no role to play in its development.

It also said that the drain flowing behind the colony is under the Irrigation and Flood Control Department and that “necessary cleaning work of the colony is being carried out regularly by employees of SDMC.” 

The Tribunal had earlier directed South Delhi Municipal Corporation and Irrigation Department of Delhi government to conduct an inspection of the areas and submit their recommendations on the issue.