HC asks DJB to connect entire city to sewage system

After plea states 45% households don’t have access

The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to formulate an action plan to address sewage problem in the Capital, after it was informed that 45% of the city is not connected to the sewage system.

The HC’s order came on plea filed by advocate S. B. Tripathi seeking direction to the Centre to give financial assistance to the DJB to build a sewage system in areas that are not connected to the system.

Mr. Tripathi referred to a submission made by the DJB before the HC in 2016 where it admitted that only 55% of Delhi’s population had access to a sewage system.

The plea said that sewage generated from the remaining 45% of Delhi is not recycled and flowing into drains and ultimately into the Yamuna.

The petition suggested that the DJB can seek funds from the Centre under its Namami Gange Programme or Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar asked the DJB to come up with a plan to expand the sewage system by the next date of hearing on March 13.

The Bench also sought response from the Haryana government on a separate plea by Mr. Tripathi seeking direction to use Munak canal, instead of the Delhi Branch, which is a “kaccha” canal, for supply of 330 cubic feet per second (cusec) of water to the Capital from Haryana.

Mr. Tripathi said that 50% of water supplied through the Delhi Branch is lost due to seepage and Delhi gets only about 170/180 cusec of water per day.

During the hearing, the Bench asked authorities to submit a reply on whether the Delhi Branch could be repaired without disturbing the water supply.