SC asks Delhi Govt. to submit Yamuna action plan

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI, NOV. 6. The Supreme Court today directed the Delhi Government to file an affidavit assuring the Court that by March 2003 no untreated sewage water would enter the Yamuna river.

Expressing concern over the deterioration of water quality resulting in a serious health hazard to the inhabitants of Delhi, a three-Judge Bench comprising Mr. Justice B.N. Kirpal, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Mr. Justice Arijit Pasayat said that the parameters laid down by the Government itself were not being followed.

Earlier, counsel for the Central Pollution Control Board submitted that there had been no improvement in the water quality of the river for the past two to three years.

He said the coliform, permissible level of which is 5,000 per 100 millilitre as per the national standard, was exceeding seven crore in number at Nizamuddin though the same was only 7,600 when the river entered Delhi at Palla. Of the coliform, the deadly faecal coliform counted up to 1 crore 41 lakh per 100 ml at Nizamuddin though as per standards no faecal coliform should be present.

The Bench observed that the Government with all the resources at its command was under duty and obligation to ensure that unpolluted water or tolerable standards of water was being made available.

It was for the Government to decide how this was to be achieved, the Bench said, adding that all that the Court was concerned was to ensure and direct that the parameters laid down in the statutes with respect to the quality of water were implemented.

The Bench asked the Delhi Administration to file an affidavit within two weeks giving the time schedule for what it proposed to do so that by March 2003 no untreated sewage would enter the Yamuna.

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