Appalled by the unsightly condition of the Kushak drain and nearby areas, the Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Public Works Department (PWD) and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) when the area would be cleaned.
A Division Bench of Justices P.S. Teji and G.S. Sistani was hearing a contempt petition filed by New Delhi South Extension RWA, after the PWD failed to comply with a May 27 order of the high court. The PWD had been told by the court to clean the drain by June 10.
On Monday, the court was apprised about the negligent and callous attitude of the civic agencies.
RWA’s vice-president Manjeet Singh Chugh brought before the court photographs showing waterlogging and human and animal waste in and around the drain, which is full of silt.
“The monsoons will soon reach Delhi. If Kushak drain is not cleaned and de-silted, the water will spill over to nearby houses and cause diseases,” said Mr. Chugh.
“The PWD should prepare a report and a timeframe as to when the May 27 order will be complied with,” the high court said in its order.
The department gave an undertaking that by June 30 all blockages due to construction by the PWD would be cleared and the 2.5-km-stretch of Kushak drain under its jurisdiction would be de-silted.
A notice was also issued to the SDMC as the rest of the drain falls under its jurisdiction.
The Kushak drain is 6 km long and carries sewer water from Mehrauli, Sangam Vihar, INA, Defence Colony, Greater Kailash, AIIMS and nearby areas.
