Apex court pulls up MCD, Delhi Jal Board

Expressing its anguish at the negligence of the Delhi Jal Board and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in the cleaning up of the Yamuna river, the Supreme Court today summoned their top officials to appear in person at the next hearing.

The municipal commissioner and the chief executive officer of the Delhi Jal Board have been called by a bench headed by Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal in the second week of next month.

As early as in September, the court had asked them to file status reports on the steps taken by the two bodies, in accordance with the directions passed earlier. Neither of them filed any affidavits. This has upset the bench.

"Our repeated orders have had no effect on the MCD and the DJB," the order said.

The court had appointed an expert committee to monitor the progress of the Yamuna cleaning programme.

Environmentalist Sunita Narain and senior Lawyer Ranjit Kumar, who was assisting the court in the matter, have been added to the committee today. The court recalled it had asked for monthly and quarterly review reports from the MCD and the DJB.

However, no report has been filed so far. Therefore, it found itself handicapped to take further steps in the matter. This was another reason to call the top executives in person to explain their stand.