Risha Chitlangia
The MCD has come up with a unique way to meet the growing water requirement to maintain its parks in south Delhi. After the civic agency started focusing on building a green capital, parks are getting special attention. But the depleting ground water level is not helping matters. So now, the MCD is planning to use sewer water to maintain parks. To achieve this, MCD is taking the help of National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), a government organization , in setting up a natural plant-based sewer water purifying unit in Chirag Dilli. Under this technology, also known as phytorid, sewer water is purified using special types of plants and stones.
NEERI, which is a part of the Council for Scientific and Industrial research ( CSIR), has submitted the project report to MCD. The plant, MCD sources said, will be installed on Chirag Dilli nullah and the treated water will be used for maintenance of 22 acres of land, including Millenium Park which is spread over 11 acres in Chirag Dilli.
"There is an acute shortage of water in south Delhi. The ground water level is dismal. We have borewells, but most of them have dried up. Hence, we decided to try out this method of using purified sewer water for maintaining our parks,'' said an MCD official. MCD needs just two lakh litre of water per day which is less than 1% of the total output of Chirag Dilli nullah. The flow in the nullah is 80-90 million litres per day.
NEERI experts said to produce two litres of purified water, a small unit would suffice. The best part about this plant is that it doesn't require any machinery . Therefore, maintenance cost is almost zero. "We have to make a small tank of 100 metres in length and three metres in depth. We will then fill it up with stones, some of which are treated with micro-bacteria , and plant water hyacinths, American pondweed, common arrowhead etc. These plants can survive in waterlogged areas and its roots extract impurities from water. When the impure water comes in contact with the roots and stones, the carbon content is oxidized . When carbon dioxide is extracted from the impure water, the treated water doesn't have foul smell,'' explained Dr Rakesh Kumar, head, NEERI (Mumbai).
It takes 24 hours to purify impure water and make it ready for use. The sewer water is released at one end of the 100-metre tank and in 24 hours it slowly moves towards the other end and by then the impurities is completely treated. NEERI has installed the plant in several places like Mumbai , Pune, Nagpur, Nashik etc.
A senior MCD official said: "It will cost MCD close to Rs 1 crore to set up the unit, but it will solve our water problems forever. We might expand this project and treat the entire nullah in the long run. The project should be approved soon. Usually sewer water is not preferred as the foul smell remains in the water. But this project solves that problem.''
WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT
Also called phytorid treatment, is used to rid impure water from various sources of its toxicity It has already been used in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik
मंगलवार, 18 जनवरी 2011
गुरुवार, 18 नवंबर 2010
Eight more tiger reserves likely in the country (The Hindu- 13 Nov 2010)
Bindu Shajan Perappadan
NEW DELHI: “We are looking at setting up eight more reserves as part of the tiger conservation efforts,” Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said here on Friday. “The new reserves would include one in the Satyamangalam forests in Tamil Nadu, besides Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.”
The national tiger census report should also be available in within the next 15 days, he said speaking at a function held at WWF-India here, ahead of the International Tiger Forum, which is being hosted by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at St. Petersburg from November 21 to 24.
The Minister introduced India's Youth Tiger Ambassadors who will represent the country at the International Youth Summit being held alongside the high-level government meeting on tiger conservation. The Forum will commit conservation and rehabilitation of tigers to global action.The Youth Summit will take place from November 19 to 24 at Vladivostok, home to the Amur Tiger. The involvement of youth at this important meeting is aimed at drawing attention to the importance of tiger conservation. WWF-India has selected students Anusha Shankar and Devanshu Sood to represent India at the summit.
They will be part of a delegation comprising representatives from all tiger ranges countries. The youth ambassadors will visit Siberian tiger trails and get a first-hand account of the state of wild tiger populations in Russia and measures being taken for their conservation. They will also develop a youth declaration on conservation, which will be presented to the Tiger Forum via videoconference between Vladivostok and St. Petersburg. Before embarking on their journey to Russia, both tiger ambassadors signed a pledge, in the presence of Mr. Ramesh, of support to the cause of conservation. Anusha Shankar, a student of M.Sc Ecology and Environmental Science at Pondicherry University, said: “The natural world has always fascinated me. I decided long ago to pursue this passion professionally. The Youth Tiger Summit is a great opportunity for me to contribute to tiger conservation.”
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu
NEW DELHI: “We are looking at setting up eight more reserves as part of the tiger conservation efforts,” Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said here on Friday. “The new reserves would include one in the Satyamangalam forests in Tamil Nadu, besides Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.”
The national tiger census report should also be available in within the next 15 days, he said speaking at a function held at WWF-India here, ahead of the International Tiger Forum, which is being hosted by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at St. Petersburg from November 21 to 24.
The Minister introduced India's Youth Tiger Ambassadors who will represent the country at the International Youth Summit being held alongside the high-level government meeting on tiger conservation. The Forum will commit conservation and rehabilitation of tigers to global action.The Youth Summit will take place from November 19 to 24 at Vladivostok, home to the Amur Tiger. The involvement of youth at this important meeting is aimed at drawing attention to the importance of tiger conservation. WWF-India has selected students Anusha Shankar and Devanshu Sood to represent India at the summit.
They will be part of a delegation comprising representatives from all tiger ranges countries. The youth ambassadors will visit Siberian tiger trails and get a first-hand account of the state of wild tiger populations in Russia and measures being taken for their conservation. They will also develop a youth declaration on conservation, which will be presented to the Tiger Forum via videoconference between Vladivostok and St. Petersburg. Before embarking on their journey to Russia, both tiger ambassadors signed a pledge, in the presence of Mr. Ramesh, of support to the cause of conservation. Anusha Shankar, a student of M.Sc Ecology and Environmental Science at Pondicherry University, said: “The natural world has always fascinated me. I decided long ago to pursue this passion professionally. The Youth Tiger Summit is a great opportunity for me to contribute to tiger conservation.”
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu
Haryana bans manufacture, sale of plastic bags (The Hindu-14 Nov 2010)
Special Correspondent
CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Government has prohibited manufacture, sale, distribution and use of virgin and recycled plastic carry bags and recycled plastic containers.
Stating this on Saturday, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that littering of plastic articles such as plates, cups, tumblers, spoons, forks and straw at public places such as parks, playgrounds, recreational places, tourist centres and religious places would not be permitted.
He said in areas having a special historical, religious and ecological significance, use of all types of plastic articles has been banned. Such places include Thanesar, Kurukshetra and Pehowa towns, precincts of Mansa Devi Temple, Panchkula and Sheetla Mata Temple, Gurgaon; public parks; wild life sanctuaries and national parks and Gram Panchayat, Morni.
The Haryana State Pollution Control Board would be the prescribed authority for enforcement of the provisions of these directions relating to manufacture and recycling of plastics.
The Municipal Commissioner or Chief Executive Officer of the concerned Municipal Corporation or Municipality would be the prescribed authority for enforcement of the provisions.
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu
CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Government has prohibited manufacture, sale, distribution and use of virgin and recycled plastic carry bags and recycled plastic containers.
Stating this on Saturday, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that littering of plastic articles such as plates, cups, tumblers, spoons, forks and straw at public places such as parks, playgrounds, recreational places, tourist centres and religious places would not be permitted.
He said in areas having a special historical, religious and ecological significance, use of all types of plastic articles has been banned. Such places include Thanesar, Kurukshetra and Pehowa towns, precincts of Mansa Devi Temple, Panchkula and Sheetla Mata Temple, Gurgaon; public parks; wild life sanctuaries and national parks and Gram Panchayat, Morni.
The Haryana State Pollution Control Board would be the prescribed authority for enforcement of the provisions of these directions relating to manufacture and recycling of plastics.
The Municipal Commissioner or Chief Executive Officer of the concerned Municipal Corporation or Municipality would be the prescribed authority for enforcement of the provisions.
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu
बुधवार, 17 नवंबर 2010
China begins damming Brahmaputra river for hydropower project ( The Hindu- November 16, 2010)
Ananth Krishnan
Special Arrangement The hanging bridge on the Siang, as the Brahmaputra is called in Arunachal, is between Jidu and Tuting, about 35 km from the border with China.
Indian government has raised concerns about possible downstream impact of project
China has started damming the middle reaches of the Brahmaputra river, or the Yarlung Tsangpo as it is known in Tibet, to begin construction on a 510 MW hydropower project that has raised concerns in India.
The government for the first time revealed that it has, since November 8, begun damming the Tsangpo's flow to allow work to begin on the hydropower project at Zangmu. This is the first major dam on the Brahmaputra and has been billed by the Chinese government as a landmark hydropower generation project for Tibet's development.
A news report on Monday said the “closure of the Yarlung Zangbo river on November 12 marked the beginning of construction.” Work is expected to continue beyond 2014, when the first set of generators will be put into operation. The total investment in the project is 7.9 billion yuan ($1.2 billion).
The Indian government has raised concerns about the possible downstream impact of this project during talks with China earlier this year. Chinese officials have assured their Indian counterparts that the project would be “run of the river,” having little impact downstream.
China has said that its projects were only for hydropower generation, and were neither storage projects nor designed to divert the water.
Officials at India's Ministry of External Affairs have, however, voiced frustration over China's general lack of willingness to share information regarding the Zangmu project, meaning they had little means to verify claims on the specific construction plans and impact on flows.
According to Ramaswamy R. Iyer, former Water Resources Secretary of the Government of India, for India “the point to examine would be the quantum of possible diversion and the impact it would have on the flows to India.”
Usually, to ensure that the flow downstream remains unaffected during the period of construction of a dam, the water is diverted through streams around the construction site and returned to the river.
“Since the flow of the water cannot be stopped, the water will be diverted so there will be no reduction of flow in this stage,” Mr. Iyer, who is an authority on dams and transboundary water issues, told The Hindu on Monday, speaking from New Delhi.
He stressed that he was speaking in general terms regarding any dam construction, and did not have specific details regarding how China was carrying out this particular project.
There is still some uncertainty on what China intends for the project, and whether or not a storage reservoir, which could affect downstream flows, will be built beyond the minimal “pondage” required to operate the turbines.
Chinese media reports indicated that the Zangmu project is unlikely to be the last on the Brahmaputra. A news report on the widely read portal Tencent said the Zangmu dam was “a landmark project” for Tibet's development, being the first major dam in Tibet, and “a project of priority in the Eleventh Five Year Plan.”
The report said that such projects would “greatly relieve the energy stress in the middle regions of Tibet” and upgrade power capacity from 100 MW to over 500 MW.
‘No treaty'
Mr. Iyer said a larger concern for India was the absence of a water-sharing treaty with China, which does not allow India to either qualify or address Chinese claims regarding specific projects.
“Between India and Pakistan, we have a treaty which specifies what we should do,” he said. “We're not supposed to retain a drop, and [even] during a stated period of construction, inflow is equal to outflow.”
“But with China,” he added, “we have no treaty. So what they will do, we have no idea.”
Special Arrangement The hanging bridge on the Siang, as the Brahmaputra is called in Arunachal, is between Jidu and Tuting, about 35 km from the border with China.
Indian government has raised concerns about possible downstream impact of project
China has started damming the middle reaches of the Brahmaputra river, or the Yarlung Tsangpo as it is known in Tibet, to begin construction on a 510 MW hydropower project that has raised concerns in India.
The government for the first time revealed that it has, since November 8, begun damming the Tsangpo's flow to allow work to begin on the hydropower project at Zangmu. This is the first major dam on the Brahmaputra and has been billed by the Chinese government as a landmark hydropower generation project for Tibet's development.
A news report on Monday said the “closure of the Yarlung Zangbo river on November 12 marked the beginning of construction.” Work is expected to continue beyond 2014, when the first set of generators will be put into operation. The total investment in the project is 7.9 billion yuan ($1.2 billion).
The Indian government has raised concerns about the possible downstream impact of this project during talks with China earlier this year. Chinese officials have assured their Indian counterparts that the project would be “run of the river,” having little impact downstream.
China has said that its projects were only for hydropower generation, and were neither storage projects nor designed to divert the water.
Officials at India's Ministry of External Affairs have, however, voiced frustration over China's general lack of willingness to share information regarding the Zangmu project, meaning they had little means to verify claims on the specific construction plans and impact on flows.
According to Ramaswamy R. Iyer, former Water Resources Secretary of the Government of India, for India “the point to examine would be the quantum of possible diversion and the impact it would have on the flows to India.”
Usually, to ensure that the flow downstream remains unaffected during the period of construction of a dam, the water is diverted through streams around the construction site and returned to the river.
“Since the flow of the water cannot be stopped, the water will be diverted so there will be no reduction of flow in this stage,” Mr. Iyer, who is an authority on dams and transboundary water issues, told The Hindu on Monday, speaking from New Delhi.
He stressed that he was speaking in general terms regarding any dam construction, and did not have specific details regarding how China was carrying out this particular project.
There is still some uncertainty on what China intends for the project, and whether or not a storage reservoir, which could affect downstream flows, will be built beyond the minimal “pondage” required to operate the turbines.
Chinese media reports indicated that the Zangmu project is unlikely to be the last on the Brahmaputra. A news report on the widely read portal Tencent said the Zangmu dam was “a landmark project” for Tibet's development, being the first major dam in Tibet, and “a project of priority in the Eleventh Five Year Plan.”
The report said that such projects would “greatly relieve the energy stress in the middle regions of Tibet” and upgrade power capacity from 100 MW to over 500 MW.
‘No treaty'
Mr. Iyer said a larger concern for India was the absence of a water-sharing treaty with China, which does not allow India to either qualify or address Chinese claims regarding specific projects.
“Between India and Pakistan, we have a treaty which specifies what we should do,” he said. “We're not supposed to retain a drop, and [even] during a stated period of construction, inflow is equal to outflow.”
“But with China,” he added, “we have no treaty. So what they will do, we have no idea.”
शनिवार, 23 अक्टूबर 2010
Red bus shelter a green threat (Times of India- 23 Oct. 2010)
Neha Lalchandani,
NEW DELHI: Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) might find itself packing up and having to find a new plot of land to park its 600 airconditioned buses. The agency, which had been given land on the Yamuna river bed next to the Indraprastha power station for the Millennium bus depot during theCommonwealth Games, had been told that it would be a temporary set-up and they would have to vacate the land within a week or so of the Games ending. DTC meanwhile seems to have other plans, announcing that it will continue to park its buses there.
The issue has got environment activists up in arms against the corporation even as government sources assured that DTC would be asked to leave if it persisted in sticking on. "The land was given to DTC on lease for the duration of the Games. The plot is located in zone O of DDA's masterplan and according to a 2009 L-G moratorium, no construction is permitted here. Secondly, it was made clear right in the beginning that this would only be a temporary structure. By proposing to keep its buses parked here, DTC is indulging in rampant encroachment,'' said Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.
In a letter dated May 5, 2010, Ranjan Mukherjee, OSD to the L-G told Misra that "the bus parking facility...will be a temporary arrangement for DTC for the duration of the CWG-2010 and there is no plan for any permanent structures. The structures are to be completely removed after Games.''
According to DTC sources, they are planning to use the land as a shelter for 600 AC buses. They said that the structure is temporary, including the flooring that was flexible pavement. However, there were no plans of vacating the premises anytime soon.
The permission for the bus shelter was given amid much controversy and opposition by environment groups that saw the move as another attempt to take over river bed land. Permission was given on the condition that there would be no permanent construction, soft parking of compressed earth or perforated paved blocks. It was to be given to DTC on lease and no servicing of buses was to have taken place. DTC was to dismantle all structures and move out within 10 days of the Games getting over.
"The plot was earlier being used as a fly ash dumping ground by the nearby power station. However, it is clearly river bed land and when permission was given for the bus depot due to security concerns, it was said that it could not be a permanent set-up. During construction, PWD used fly ash and cement to first level the ground. A lot of other structures have also come up there. In April, DDA had said that it was not aware of any plans for a bus depot on that land. DTC cannot decide arbitrarily to stay there and must move out,'' said Vinod Jain of NGO Tapas.
NEW DELHI: Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) might find itself packing up and having to find a new plot of land to park its 600 airconditioned buses. The agency, which had been given land on the Yamuna river bed next to the Indraprastha power station for the Millennium bus depot during theCommonwealth Games, had been told that it would be a temporary set-up and they would have to vacate the land within a week or so of the Games ending. DTC meanwhile seems to have other plans, announcing that it will continue to park its buses there.
The issue has got environment activists up in arms against the corporation even as government sources assured that DTC would be asked to leave if it persisted in sticking on. "The land was given to DTC on lease for the duration of the Games. The plot is located in zone O of DDA's masterplan and according to a 2009 L-G moratorium, no construction is permitted here. Secondly, it was made clear right in the beginning that this would only be a temporary structure. By proposing to keep its buses parked here, DTC is indulging in rampant encroachment,'' said Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.
In a letter dated May 5, 2010, Ranjan Mukherjee, OSD to the L-G told Misra that "the bus parking facility...will be a temporary arrangement for DTC for the duration of the CWG-2010 and there is no plan for any permanent structures. The structures are to be completely removed after Games.''
According to DTC sources, they are planning to use the land as a shelter for 600 AC buses. They said that the structure is temporary, including the flooring that was flexible pavement. However, there were no plans of vacating the premises anytime soon.
The permission for the bus shelter was given amid much controversy and opposition by environment groups that saw the move as another attempt to take over river bed land. Permission was given on the condition that there would be no permanent construction, soft parking of compressed earth or perforated paved blocks. It was to be given to DTC on lease and no servicing of buses was to have taken place. DTC was to dismantle all structures and move out within 10 days of the Games getting over.
"The plot was earlier being used as a fly ash dumping ground by the nearby power station. However, it is clearly river bed land and when permission was given for the bus depot due to security concerns, it was said that it could not be a permanent set-up. During construction, PWD used fly ash and cement to first level the ground. A lot of other structures have also come up there. In April, DDA had said that it was not aware of any plans for a bus depot on that land. DTC cannot decide arbitrarily to stay there and must move out,'' said Vinod Jain of NGO Tapas.
गुरुवार, 21 अक्टूबर 2010
‘Metro's Yamuna Bank complex coming up without clearances' (The Hindu- 21/10/10)
Smriti Kak Ramachandran
NEW DELHI: Construction at the Delhi Metro railway's Yamuna Bank complex is on in full swing and like most of its projects will be completed in time, but what sets it apart is that the mandatory clearances and go-ahead from agencies for some portions are missing.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was granted permission to construct a yard, a depot and a line on the riverbed, but also coming up on the ecologically critical zone is a residential complex for its employees. Alarmed by the destruction of the riverbed, a non-government organisation, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan (YJA), has shot off a letter to DMRC to reconsider their plans.
“I wrote to DMRC Managing Director E. Sreedharan but have not heard from him or the organisation. The construction of a residential complex is in violation of rules and most importantly it does not have any environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, nor was it sent for approval to the Delhi Urban Arts Commission,” says Manoj Misra of the YJA.
According to Mr. Misra, the land where the yard, the line and the depot are belongs to the Delhi Development Authority and DMRC has the rights to construct here, but the land where the residential complex is coming up has been sold to DMRC by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department on the precondition that DMRC cannot construct anything there before getting the land use changed by the DDA.
“DMRC has not got the change done in the land use. It was initially meant only for greening purposes. When the construction first began in the riverbed, we had advised caution. Even the Yamuna Standing Committee had advised much caution. The matter went first to the Delhi High Court in 2007 and then to the Supreme Court,” said Mr. Misra.
He said the Delhi High Court was informed by DMRC that it had decided to shelve its plans to build residential quarters on the riverbed, but they never submitted the requisite affidavit to the Court.
Mr. Misra also pointed out that the complex was flooded recently during the rains. “When the river rose during the rains the complex was completely flooded and it was established that the construction on the riverbed was wrong. Flood waters also reported from the Shastri Park depot.”
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu
NEW DELHI: Construction at the Delhi Metro railway's Yamuna Bank complex is on in full swing and like most of its projects will be completed in time, but what sets it apart is that the mandatory clearances and go-ahead from agencies for some portions are missing.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was granted permission to construct a yard, a depot and a line on the riverbed, but also coming up on the ecologically critical zone is a residential complex for its employees. Alarmed by the destruction of the riverbed, a non-government organisation, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan (YJA), has shot off a letter to DMRC to reconsider their plans.
“I wrote to DMRC Managing Director E. Sreedharan but have not heard from him or the organisation. The construction of a residential complex is in violation of rules and most importantly it does not have any environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, nor was it sent for approval to the Delhi Urban Arts Commission,” says Manoj Misra of the YJA.
According to Mr. Misra, the land where the yard, the line and the depot are belongs to the Delhi Development Authority and DMRC has the rights to construct here, but the land where the residential complex is coming up has been sold to DMRC by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department on the precondition that DMRC cannot construct anything there before getting the land use changed by the DDA.
“DMRC has not got the change done in the land use. It was initially meant only for greening purposes. When the construction first began in the riverbed, we had advised caution. Even the Yamuna Standing Committee had advised much caution. The matter went first to the Delhi High Court in 2007 and then to the Supreme Court,” said Mr. Misra.
He said the Delhi High Court was informed by DMRC that it had decided to shelve its plans to build residential quarters on the riverbed, but they never submitted the requisite affidavit to the Court.
Mr. Misra also pointed out that the complex was flooded recently during the rains. “When the river rose during the rains the complex was completely flooded and it was established that the construction on the riverbed was wrong. Flood waters also reported from the Shastri Park depot.”
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu
‘Metro's Yamuna Bank complex coming up without clearances' (The Hindu- 21/10/10)
Smriti Kak Ramachandran
NEW DELHI: Construction at the Delhi Metro railway's Yamuna Bank complex is on in full swing and like most of its projects will be completed in time, but what sets it apart is that the mandatory clearances and go-ahead from agencies for some portions are missing.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was granted permission to construct a yard, a depot and a line on the riverbed, but also coming up on the ecologically critical zone is a residential complex for its employees. Alarmed by the destruction of the riverbed, a non-government organisation, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan (YJA), has shot off a letter to DMRC to reconsider their plans.
“I wrote to DMRC Managing Director E. Sreedharan but have not heard from him or the organisation. The construction of a residential complex is in violation of rules and most importantly it does not have any environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, nor was it sent for approval to the Delhi Urban Arts Commission,” says Manoj Misra of the YJA.
According to Mr. Misra, the land where the yard, the line and the depot are belongs to the Delhi Development Authority and DMRC has the rights to construct here, but the land where the residential complex is coming up has been sold to DMRC by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department on the precondition that DMRC cannot construct anything there before getting the land use changed by the DDA.
“DMRC has not got the change done in the land use. It was initially meant only for greening purposes. When the construction first began in the riverbed, we had advised caution. Even the Yamuna Standing Committee had advised much caution. The matter went first to the Delhi High Court in 2007 and then to the Supreme Court,” said Mr. Misra.
He said the Delhi High Court was informed by DMRC that it had decided to shelve its plans to build residential quarters on the riverbed, but they never submitted the requisite affidavit to the Court.
Mr. Misra also pointed out that the complex was flooded recently during the rains. “When the river rose during the rains the complex was completely flooded and it was established that the construction on the riverbed was wrong. Flood waters also reported from the Shastri Park depot.”
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu
NEW DELHI: Construction at the Delhi Metro railway's Yamuna Bank complex is on in full swing and like most of its projects will be completed in time, but what sets it apart is that the mandatory clearances and go-ahead from agencies for some portions are missing.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was granted permission to construct a yard, a depot and a line on the riverbed, but also coming up on the ecologically critical zone is a residential complex for its employees. Alarmed by the destruction of the riverbed, a non-government organisation, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan (YJA), has shot off a letter to DMRC to reconsider their plans.
“I wrote to DMRC Managing Director E. Sreedharan but have not heard from him or the organisation. The construction of a residential complex is in violation of rules and most importantly it does not have any environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, nor was it sent for approval to the Delhi Urban Arts Commission,” says Manoj Misra of the YJA.
According to Mr. Misra, the land where the yard, the line and the depot are belongs to the Delhi Development Authority and DMRC has the rights to construct here, but the land where the residential complex is coming up has been sold to DMRC by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department on the precondition that DMRC cannot construct anything there before getting the land use changed by the DDA.
“DMRC has not got the change done in the land use. It was initially meant only for greening purposes. When the construction first began in the riverbed, we had advised caution. Even the Yamuna Standing Committee had advised much caution. The matter went first to the Delhi High Court in 2007 and then to the Supreme Court,” said Mr. Misra.
He said the Delhi High Court was informed by DMRC that it had decided to shelve its plans to build residential quarters on the riverbed, but they never submitted the requisite affidavit to the Court.
Mr. Misra also pointed out that the complex was flooded recently during the rains. “When the river rose during the rains the complex was completely flooded and it was established that the construction on the riverbed was wrong. Flood waters also reported from the Shastri Park depot.”
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu
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