Delhi High Court pulls up AAP govt over 'deplorable' condition of Kushak drain in South Extension

The Delhi High Court on Saturday pulled up the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for the deplorable condition of the of Kushak drain in the South Extension area and asked the government to get it cleaned at the earliest and ensure that it does not become a mosquito breeding ground.

Terming as “unacceptable”, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar ordered that water in the drain be treated and directed the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government to install a proper filtration system in the “nullah” before handing it over to the local municipal corporation.

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“The pictures depict a deplorable state of affairs in the drain with garbage floating on it. This is absolutely unacceptable and action be taken by the Delhi government to ensure the entire area is cleaned of garbage. Effective steps be taken to ensure there is no stagnant water in the nullah (drain) and that it does become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Water in the nullah be treated before it flows through the outlet into the river (Yamuna),” the court said.

The court was hearing a 2012 PIL regarding water-logging and flooding in South Extension-II.

The court also said that the PWD must clean the drain under the Barapullah flyover before it hands it over to the corporation in December this year.

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 “Instead of blaming others or leaving it to others, do what you had promised (the court). Get it cleaned up,” the bench said.

The PWD has on several occasions in the past assured the court that it will clean the drain of all garbage and construction debris after the construction of the Barapullah flyover is completed. However, the deadline for completion of work kept getting extended even as residents of the areas, especially South Extension-II, near the nullah complained of waterlogging.