Delhi Jal Board will not spend single penny on Yamuna without our nod: NGT

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal on Monday took Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to task for spending money on Yamuna without its permission and directed it not to spend a "single penny" on rejuvenation of the river without its approval.

"DJB will not spent single penny except maintenance as already directed. The DJB shall file complete and comprehensive details in relation to each work....DJB shall make it certain that the directions issued by the Tribunal are not violated in any manner whatsoever," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

The green panel took exception to the fact that despite its specific directions, which restrained DJB from spending without NGT's prior approval, the board had incurred expenses on drain integration work.

The matter is listed for next hearing on March 30. NGT had earlier constituted a committee and asked it to submit report on the actual discharge from each drain that joins Yamuna and the measure load on points where Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) are sought to be constructed under Phase-I of the project (Najafgarh drain to Delhi Gate drain).

The panel comprised member secretary of Central Pollution Control Board and Delhi Pollution Control Committee, chief engineer of DJB and Delhi Development Authority and professor R Kosa from IIT-Delhi.

"The committee shall collect samples from the drains and near STPs. The report will not be restricted to chemical oxygen demand (COD), Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and ph levels but also analyse all parameters including metals, insecticides, pesticides and other compounds," the bench had said, adding that the samples would be analysed at CPCB lab and IIT-Delhi.

The directions came as the green panel monitored the implementation of its 'Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project'.