NGT Castigates DJB Official, Says Tried to Mislead The Tribunal

The National Green Tribunal has castigated a Delhi Jal Board official for wasting the tribunal's time by repeatedly changing his replies regarding the functionality of a sewage treatment plant.

The tribunal, which was hearing the issue of protection of Smriti Van -- a part of the ridge area in south Delhi -- and also a pond inside it, said it appeared that the official was attempting to "mislead the tribunal."

In an order passed on November 20, a bench of NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted the reply of the DJB dated November 13, according to which, a 1,100 kilolitres per day (KLD) Decentralised Sewage Treatment Plant (DSTP) had been commissioned to treat the stormwater or wastewater in the area.

"Anil Bharti, superintendent engineer (SE) of DJB, is present. We had put a query to him as to what is treated in this DSTP. Initially, he said no sewage is treated in the DSTP, (and) it is the rainwater that is treated," the tribunal said.

The SE, after some arguments said that drain water was treated in the DSTP and thereafter again changed his stance, saying sewage was also being treated, the green panel said.

"On account of such repeated change of stand by the officer concerned, considerable time of the tribunal has been wasted. It appears that an attempt has been made to mislead the tribunal by repeatedly changing the stand and we warn him not to repeat such conduct in future," the tribunal said.

Noting the evidence before it, the green body also said that there was a "lack of effective cooperation" between the board and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

"Hence, we direct that the chief executive officer (CEO) of DJB and the vice chairman/acting vice chairman, DDA will hold a meeting and settle this difference," the tribunal said.

"The DJB and DDA will file the affidavit disclosing that the issue relating to lack of coordination has been solved by them and responsibility for the operation of the DSTP has been fixed," it added.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on March 7.