Authorities dispute sewage discharge responsibility

New Delhi: After the National Green Tribunal imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on DUSIB for failing to create single discharge points from slum clusters to trap sewage and for not cooperating in proceedings, DUSIB responded that the measure is impractical due to topographical and land constraints. It reiterated that installing sewer lines is the responsibility of the DJB, not DUSIB.

The tribunal is hearing various pleas, including one by the Nizamuddin West RWA, demanding remedial measures to treat Barapullah and its subsidiary drains. Residents claimed that many areas of South Delhi were waterlogged during the monsoon due to the non-desilting of these drains.

Referring to drain numbers 11 to 18, DJB informed NGT during the hearing held on May 21 that since DUSIB is not providing a single discharge point for the untreated sewage, DJB is not in a position to stop the discharge of untreated sewage in the stormwater drains.

DUSIB in a new affidavit said, “In a joint inspection on Nov 27 last year of several JJB clusters, even DJB recognised that the laying of sewer/drainage lines, or connecting the JJB clusters to a single discharge point, was infeasible on account of lack of space.”

DUSIB added that bringing the sewage/sullage of the entire JJB cluster to a single common discharge point becomes highly difficult without undertaking major civil works, necessitating an enormous expenditure of the public exchequer not only towards the said works but also towards the rehabilitation of the displaced persons, which shall be required on account of the demolition of the current structures in the JJB clusters to make way for the said works.