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Concretisation of drain beds irks environmentalists
Source: The Tribune, New Delhi, Date: , 2010
The Master Plan Delhi 2021 calls for environment assessment before any
new project or upgradation of the extant infrastructure. However, the
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Development Authority
(DDA) hardly seem to care about it. Currently, the civic body and the
land holding agency are covering many drains for converting them into
parking lots, green spaces or walkways and in the process the drain beds
and sides are being concretised, which is worrying the nature experts.
Sunahari Drain, near Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, a venue for the CWG, and
the Kushak Drain, which flows from Andrew Ganj through Defence Colony
and then joins the Brapulla Drain are two such examples. Heading towards
multi-utility, the former would see a parking centre for 400 buses over
it and the latter would have green space overhead. According to Manoj
Misra of NGO Peace Institute Charitable Trust, concretisation of drain
beds is actually an invitation to disaster, given the fact that it would
restrict the percolation of water through the soil, consequently
affecting the groundwater table. However, sources said, both the
agencies, responsible for the construction, have discussed the issue
with the officials of the governor’s office and they contended that as
the drains carry polluted water, which is not fit for consumption, the
beds could be concretised. Residing in one of the localities of Defence
Colony, director of *Toxic Link*, *Ravi Agrawal *said, “The residents of
the area want the drain to be covered, but it cannot be done at the cost
of environment. You can’t cover the drain bed and hamper the groundwater
recharge capacity. Rather a canopying would help.”
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