PIL in Delhi HC highlighting problems of sewer overflow, contamination of water

New Delhi, Sep 12 (PTI) A PIL has been filed in the Delhi High Court highlighting sewer overflow in the past one year leading to contamination of water and spread of waterborne diseases in many areas here.

The public interest litigation (PIL) is listed for hearing before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela on Friday.

The petition by NGO Social Jurist said the main reasons for the problem are no desilting of major trunk sewer, no desilting of branch sewers, reduction in sewer cleaning machines or labour, reduction of manpower and that old sewer lines need replacement.

“The respondents have utterly failed to resolve all issues relating to sewer overflow and consequent water contamination issues. It is unfortunate that internal tussle in Government of NCT of Delhi is causing the general public to suffer,” it said.

“Delhi has witnessed severe unprecedented sewer overflow in the past one year. Due to this sewer overflow, water in many areas has been contaminated. In some areas even water borne diseases are spreading. Therefore, sewer overflow needs to be addressed in the larger interest of the society,” said the plea filed through advocates Ashok Agarwal and Kumar Utkarsh.

The petitioner said it gave a representation to the authorities regarding the issue of sewer overflow and received a reply from the Delhi Water Minister in which she has highlighted that reasons and circumstances which have led to this complex problem of sewer overflow are mainly due to an artificial financial crisis and administrative quagmire that has been created by the Finance Department of Delhi government.

“The actions or inactions on the part of respondents not to address sewer overflow problem due to internal tussle within the authorities leading to health problem is in violation of fundamental right of people residing in Delhi as guaranteed to them under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution,” the plea said.

It sought a direction to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to forthwith resolve all issues related to sewer overflow and consequent water contamination issues.

The plea further ought to direct the Finance Department to forthwith release adequate funds and give necessary permissions to respondent DJB to resolve the problem.

It also sought a direction to appoint an independent committee to oversee the resolution of sewer overflow.

The petition has arrayed the lieutenant governor, the Delhi government through its Water Minister, chief secretary and finance department, the Delhi Jal Board and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi as parties.