The National Green Tribunal directed DDA on Wednesday to demarcate the entire Yamuna floodplain within three months, and reiterated its previous ban on cultivation.
It directed the Delhi Development Authority to take re-possession of the floodplain in case of encroachments within three months and fence such areas and convert them into bio-diversity parks.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel warned that DDA will be liable to pay Rs 5 lakh per month till compliance of this direction from April 1, 2020 which may be recovered from the erring officers and deposited with the CPCB for restoration of the environment.
The Monitoring Committee, comprising NGT expert member B S Sajwan and former Delhi chief secretary Shailaja Chandra, will look into the compliance, the tribunal said.
"No activity of edible crop/ cultivation on the floodplain may be undertaken. DDA shall complete the work of putting of CCTVs and keep the area secure from further encroachments as such," the bench said.
"The agencies concerned shall give requisite permission to DDA for launch of optical fibre cable within one month of the receipt of such request after which the DDA will be free to proceed subject to any objection there against being considered by this tribunal. The UP Irrigation Department shall give permission to DDA for the execution of CCTVs related work to the DDA within one month of the receipt of such request after which the DDA will be free to proceed subject to any objection there against being considered by this tribunal," it said.
The tribunal directed the DDA to strictly regulate illegal dumping of 'malba' (debris) by collecting compensation wherever violations are found and submit action taken report to monitoring committee.
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It said the prohibition with regard to the throwing of pooja material or any kind of other material in the Yamuna, except the designated sites, is to be ensured by DDA, Delhi, UP and Haryana governments.
"The Transports Departments of Delhi, UP and Haryana need to enforce the said polluter pays principle so that no malba is dumped on the flood plains," it said.
"Monthly reports on the water quality be furnished by Delhi Pollution Control Committee to the monitoring committee which must also contain data on faecal coliform and till the time DPCC establishes its own laboratory network, the samples may be got analysed either from Central Pollution Control Board laboratory or other accredited laboratory with respect to aforesaid parameter," it added.
NGT said such reports must be placed on the website of DPCC and CPCB and for failure to comply with this direction, DPCC will be liable to pay environment compensation of Rs 2 lakh per month to CPCB for restoration of environment with effect from October 1,2019.
The amount can be recovered from the erring officers apart from appropriate entries in their service records, it said.
The tribunal directed the DPCC to continue with the survey and monitoring of industries both in confirming and non-confirming areas (residential) and take action in accordance with law against polluting units and file report of action three months besides recovery of environment compensation.
"As there are 13 departments responsible for regulating illegal dumping of solid waste and construction and debris waste in Yamuna and drains leading to Yamuna, the Delhi chief secretary is directed to coordinate so an effective mechanism is evolved for stopping of waste in Yamuna or its drains.
"In case of non-compliance Delhi government will be liable to pay Rs one lakh per month from November 1, 2019 to the CPCB. Accountability of the officers may be determined," the tribunal said.
The NGT in January 2015 prohibited farming on Yamuna banks saying saying, "it is an established fact that presently, vegetables, fodder grown and allied projects at the flood plain of river Yamuna are highly contaminated".