Clean and restore Neela Hauz by May,HC orders govt

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna ordered the government,Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Public Works Department (PWD) to ensure restoration,and later maintenance of the lake. The Delhi Jal Board was asked to keep a check on pollutants in the lake.

“All the authorities are directed to stop pollution and maintain Neela Hauz in a proper manner. The DDA must complete its work and restore it by May,” said Justice Misra.

Standing counsel for Delhi government Najmi Waziri told the Bench that the DDA was responsible for the restoration of the water body and the government was ready to deposit the money for its revival. “We will ensure that the lake does not die,” he said.

The Bench also questioned the DDA counsel,Ajay Verma,on the debris near the lake and the time required to remove it. Verma said the land was handed over to the PWD for construction of the flyover and the officials have been apprised of the previous court order to clean-up the area. “Let the land come back to us and we will do the needful,” he said.

“Let the land be handed over to you within four weeks from now and you will then restore the lake as per the time fixed by us,” ordered the Bench.

Verma submitted that the department will comply with the court order and complete the work by May.

The court was hearing the PIL filed by a resident of Vasant Kunj Malvika Kaul,through her lawyer Bankey Bihari. Kaul had had alleged that the government was indifferent towards the endangered water body. The PIL had also raised concern over ecological imbalance caused by construction of the flyover across the lake.

“Preserving this lake is important because it is the only natural source of recharging the groundwater in Vasant Kunj. The water level in the area is already very low… (and) constructions will keep on depleting it unless lakes like Neela Hauz are fiercely protected,” the PIL had contended.