Kushak Drain Environmental Issues

Minutes of Meeting at the Engineer Member office, DDA, on 11^th August 2016

Agenda: On the directions of National Green Tribunal in the matter of: Rajeev Suri Vs DDA and others; The Hon’ble Tribunal directed DDA to "to consider environmental impacts and positive steps that can be taken in regard to the drain in Defence Colony", 

As a consequence of this direction the meeting was convened at 5 pm at the EM office of DDA.

Following were present:

Dr. Mahesh Kumar: Hon'ble Engineering Member, DDA

Rajeev Suri: Applicant in Person

DCWA: President Malik, EC members Himanshu Malhotra, Prem Narain and special invitee Sunil Batra

GK WA: Counsel representing residents

DDA: EM, Ex Eng, SDO, Chief Eng. Project Mgr.

Jal Board: Various officials

Counsel for DDA

Other officials of EM Secretariat

Since the Kushak drain covering project was undertaken by DDA without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and hence no Environment Clearance (EC) obtained, major environmental and health issues plague Defence Colony as a result of this ill-conceived project.

Following Points were discussed:

1.   Creating a culet (central drain) at the drain floor as existed earlier to channelize the sewage flow.

2.   Correcting the gradient for sewage to flow out rapidly, rather than accumulate as cess pools below the covered area which has given rise to an exponential increase in Vector Borne diseases in the vicinity.

3.   Covering the balance portion left uncovered towards railway line side where stagnant water lagoons fester pestilence.

4. Evolving a methodology of cleaning the drain as side entrances are too narrow to permit the entry of a vehicle.

5. Mechanism to exhaust and evacuate toxic gasses accumulation below, in the covered drain area.

6.   Activating the non-functional water harvesting pits.

7.   Correction the surface park depressions to prevent water stagnation, to enable it to drain out speedily.

8.    Major civil work issues on the surface; repair of walking track, replacing cladding tiles, missing inspection trap covers etc.

9. Water logging on the surface after rains. This point was for immediate attention.

10.   Creating a STP upstream, so that only treated water reaches Defence Colony, as no pollution was added by this colony.

11. Horticulture and plantation issues as envisaged in the initial covering project.

The EM directed Jal Board officials present to consult with their drainage department, and to reconvene the meeting with instructions on what positive steps can be taken to eradicate the highly polluted toxic water entering Defence Colony.

The meeting adjourned with a thanks to the chair, to reconvene on 24^th Aug 2016 to finalize positive interventions by both DDA and Jal Board to ensure mitigation of the above points discussed. 

Minutes prepared by: Rajeev Suri