Give police aid to remove debris near Yamuna: NGT to Delhi, UP

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Monday directed Delhi government and Uttar Pradesh to extend all help including police aid for removal of debris from Yamuna banks and also restrained DDA from acting on its notification concerning activities allowed on river plain.

"State government of Uttar Pradesh shall furnish all help including police aid for removal of debris from the site in question," a bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar said. "NCT of Delhi shall also provide all help including police aid," it said and added that the DMRC, the state of UP and SSP Gautam Budh Nagar shall also be responsible for carrying out the order. The Tribunal passed the order when DMRC apprised the bench that it has removed some 23,281 metric ton of debris from places near Yamuna Bank Metro Station but 4,700 MT of debris could not be removed as it is surrounded by `jhuggis` (shanties) and it is difficult for them to remove it. "Why don`t you take police help," the Tribunal asked the counsel appearing for DMRC and then ordered that police aid be provided and the remaining debris be also removed. The bench also restrained DDA from acting on its September 28 notification regarding re-delineation and re-zoning of Zone `O` (River Yamuna/River Front) area in which it has proposed to allow electric crematorium, low cost public toilets and some construction in the area. "In the meanwhile, DDA shall not act on its notification dated September 28, 2013 without specific order of the Tribunal," the bench said. After going through DDA`s notification, the Tribunal remarked, "This shows you are bent upon doing something funny. Whatever plain is left, you will finish it. You are allowing low cost toilets there. Don`t you know what purpose is the river bank being put to at present?" During the hearing, Additional Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh filed a compliance report saying it has removed 1.6 lakh metric ton of debris near Yamuna from the area under their jurisdiction and are also taking precautionary measures to ensure that no debris is dumped there and defaulters are fined Rs 5 lakh. The bench today also asked the local commissioners appointed by it to inspect the river and also the MoEF to submit their report in the matter prior to the next date of hearing. The tribunal`s order came on hearing of a petition filed by Manoj Kumar Mishra seeking ban on dumping of rubble into Yamuna and ensuring cleaning up of the river. On January 31, NGT had banned dumping of debris including construction material into Yamuna and had directed the states of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh to remove the rubble immediately while making such an offence punishable with a fine of Rs five lakh.