Our Yamuna revitalisation plan needs to move on priority: National Green Tribunal

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal today warned states and public authorities of invoking its "punitive or contempt jurisdiction" for not following its orders saying its plan on revitalisation of Yamuna needs to move on priority basis and not at the "mercy of whims and fancies of some".

"Without hesitation any further violation and non compliance of the directions/orders will be taken seriously. A project which is envisaged to be completed by 2017 needs to move on priority basis not at the mercy of whims and fancies of some related to the project," a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

It said that it had tried its best and invoked "highest hierarchy of the state to ensure compliance of directions to restore river Yamuna to its original state".

"Before we travel to the realms of issuing punitive orders to officials concerned we would grant final opportunity with the following direction that the state government concerned would not force us to dwell upon the punitive or contempt jurisdiction of the tribunal," the green panel said.

The bench said it is unfortunate that various states and public authorities have failed to file status report regarding compliance of directions and orders on NGT's 'Mailey se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Plan 2017'.

"We certainly expect high priority by all state governments concerned with regard to execution of directions relating to cleaning and restoring of river Yamuna," it said, adding that it fails to understand as why the "authorities fail to act in coherence with one department writing a letter to other and shifting its burden".

The bench then passed a slew of directions and asked the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to consider lowering of sewage connection charge to every households especially in the unauthorised colonies.

The tribunal also asked the DJB to complete the remaining 22 per cent work of interceptor sewer ring at Najafgarh by March 2016 so as to ensure that water from drains is treated before being discharged into the Yamuna.