Environmental concerns of our residential colony

To

The Hon'ble Minister,

Ministry of Environment & Forests,

Govt of India,

Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bagh

New Delhi 

Sir,

Re Environmental concerns of our residential colony

I bring to your attention an environmental bomb ticking in the Defence Colony Market of Defence Colony,New Delhi 110024

Following are the concerns:

1) A huge number of restaurants have mushroomed up in this marketplace, the number being approximately 45 restaurants.

2) This market was designed as a single storey market, and facilities such as drainage, water supply, electricity was meant to supply single shops, not four floors per shop. Consequently, the infrastructure is under severe strain.

3) The restaurants use water for industrial use, eg washing food leftovers cooking waste, utensils etc. and pour the same down drains, which get clogged and overflow into streets.

4) Solid waste from the restaurants are dumped in open garbage dumps, and roadside, and cows, dogs and scavengers spread this waste on the roadsides.

5) Delhi Pollution Board has taken no action re a common effluent plant (ETP) to treat wastewater before discharging it into sewerage and open drains. Delhi Jal Board has given water meters to restaurants ( industrial purposes) without Environmental Impact Study (EIA) on the disproportionate quantum of water being supplied to the market, and how it is being discharged.

6) South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has made no effort to enforce waste doorstep collection from restaurants / shops and have it disposed separately from the domestic waste generation and clearance system. Such waste collected must be segregated and recycled as per established norms.

7) SDMC has granted Shops and Establishment Licences to shops, restaurants, parlours, offices etc. where shops are not permitted (above ground floor).

Urgent action is required by Chief Secretary GNTCD, Secretaries Environment, Pollution, Jal Board, and Electricity Authorities GNCTD.

Sir, since environment is a concern to all citizens, I raise these concerns as a citizen worried about the area we live in,being a witness to all that is going wrong. We approach you to exercise the powers vested in you Sir, to protect our environment at a micro level, by invoking all authorities concerned.

Yours Faithfully,

Rajeev Suri

Friends of Defence Colony.Org

D 68 Defence Colony

New Delhi 110024

Mobile : 9810304580