Will complete desilting of 22 drains by May 31 Delhi govt to NGT

New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) The Irrigation and Flood Control Department (I&FCD) of the Delhi government has informed the National Green Tribunal that the desilting of 22 drains in the national capital would be over by May 31.
     The department, however, said there was an impasse regarding desilting the covered area of Kushak and Sunehri Pul drains, which would be resolved within 10 days.
     The green body was hearing the issue of desilting of the 24 drains, which fall in the Yamuna.
     In an order dated February 27, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, observed the department’s additional chief secretary was directed to submit an undertaking on the completion of desilting works by the stipulated May 31.
     The NGT said the officer had filed a report dated February 25 on complying with the prescribed timeline.
     The affidavit, however, said the desilting of the covered portion of the drains had to be undertaken by the "drain-covering agencies" unless they were handed to the department after removal of the coverage.
     The tribunal referred to the initial submissions of the additional chief secretary that communications were sent to the municipal corporation of Delhi for opening the covered portion of Kushak and Sunehri Pul drains but there was no response and the I&FCD did not have the "power" to break open the covered portion.
     The matter would be heard on April 9.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)