Devise plan to clear Kaushambi of sewage: HCcourt tells Gzb civic agencies

GHAZIABAD: The Allahabad high court has directed the Ghaziabad municipal commissioner and GDA vice-chairman to jointly hold a meeting under the DM's authority on the sewage accumulation issue in Kaushambi.
The high court has directed the twin authorities to evolve a plan of action comprising short-term measures for sewage disposal as well as a plan for construction of an intermediate 'pumping station' between Kaushambi and the main pumping station in Vaishali.
The Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) had earlier suggested construction of the intermediate pumping station between Kaushambi police post and the Radisson Hotel. A two-judge bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Dr D Y Chandrachud and Justice M K Gupta had delivered the order on May 6 while hearing a PIL filed by Kaushambi Apartments' RWAs (KARWA).
KARWA had filed the petition in February demanding directions to civic and development authorities in Ghaziabad for mitigation of a slew of civic woes.
The twin authorities, GMC and GDA, were pulled up by the high court after the civic body reiterated that the construction of the station be carried out by the GDA as it had developed the residential colony.
"All that would result from this exercise is the constant shifting of responsibility between the Nagar Nigam and GDA. This state of affairs must be rectified at the earliest and it is no matter of surprise that the patience of residents is wearing thin. The matter rests between two public authorities, namely, Ghaziabad Development Authority and Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam. Both these authorities must sort out the issue between themselves and commence the work which is required to attend to the problem being faced at Kaushambi due to the absence of proper arrangements for the disposal of sewage," the bench said in its order. The court has also directed the GDA vice-chairman and Ghaziabad municipal commissioner for personal appearance at the next hearing on July 7.
When contacted, district magistrate Vimal Kumar Sharma and municipal commissioner Abdul Samad said separately that they would go through the direction of the high court and take appropriate action. They said a meeting would be held as directed by the bench soon after a certified copy of the order was received.