Yamuna panel chief wants demolition
HINDUATAN TIMES 1st NOV.2007
Aruna P. Sharma
New Delhi
IN AN unprecedented move, the convenor of the Yamuna (removal of encroachments) Monitoring Committee has sought demolition of all permanent structures erected in the Yamuna riverbed by the Delhi Development Authority and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
In a report submitted to the High Court, retired additional district and sessions judge S.M. Aggarwal, the convenor of the committee, has also sought that DDA and DMRC should be penalised for damaging the river's eco-system by undertaking construction of the massive Metro rail yard, a residential complex in 1.85 acres of the river bed, a huge Games Village Metro station along with a mall by Parsvanath Developers and the Commonwealth Games Village.
The report has also recommended exemplary action against the Vice Chairman of DDA for deliberate and willful violation of Delhi High Court order directing that the river bed be maintained as a water body or wetland by the DDA and all other authorities.
The Yamuna Monitoring Committee headed by retired High Court Judge Justice Usha Mehra, was set up on December 8, 2005 to monitor the removal of all unauthorised structures, jhuggis, places of worship and or any other structure, which are unauthorisedly put in Yamuna bed and its embankments.
The committee submitted the report in the court of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Rekha Sharma on Tuesday when they were hearing a public interest petition filed by well-known water activist Rajender Singh, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, other NGOs and resident fronts. The environmental activists have sought immediate stay on construction in the Yamuna river bed and arguments on this count will be heard on November 20.
arunasharma@hindustantimes.com
In a report submitted to the High Court, retired additional district and sessions judge S.M. Aggarwal, the convenor of the committee, has also sought that DDA and DMRC should be penalised for damaging the river's eco-system by undertaking construction of the massive Metro rail yard, a residential complex in 1.85 acres of the river bed, a huge Games Village Metro station along with a mall by Parsvanath Developers and the Commonwealth Games Village.
The report has also recommended exemplary action against the Vice Chairman of DDA for deliberate and willful violation of Delhi High Court order directing that the river bed be maintained as a water body or wetland by the DDA and all other authorities.
The Yamuna Monitoring Committee headed by retired High Court Judge Justice Usha Mehra, was set up on December 8, 2005 to monitor the removal of all unauthorised structures, jhuggis, places of worship and or any other structure, which are unauthorisedly put in Yamuna bed and its embankments.
The committee submitted the report in the court of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Rekha Sharma on Tuesday when they were hearing a public interest petition filed by well-known water activist Rajender Singh, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, other NGOs and resident fronts. The environmental activists have sought immediate stay on construction in the Yamuna river bed and arguments on this count will be heard on November 20.
arunasharma@hindustantimes.com
