The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) and the three municipal corporations to rehabilitate slum clusters located near railway tracks in the national Capital within six months. A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar expressed concern over the “inaction” on the part of authorities concerned and delay in rehabilitating slum clusters.
The tribunal noted that there are nearly 70 kms of railway tracks in Delhi, out of which there are encroachments on land along a 22-km stretch. Seven km of this 22-km stretch offends the safety zone “badly”, seeking “immediate and serious attention from the point of environment, human life and degradation of public health”. Safety zone is the area beyond 30 metres from the railway tracks.
“We direct that all the senior-most officers who had appeared before the tribunal to hold a consultative meeting within two weeks to prioritise the sections of the 7-km stretch in the first stage, from where the process of rehabilitation of these jhuggies shall be initiated,” said the NGT.
The tribunal noted that the Railways had given a sum of ]Rs11.25 crore in 2003-2004 to DUSIB under which 4,410 jhuggies located near the railway tracks in Sanjay Camp and Wazirpur area were required to be demolished and the affected people were to be resettled with this money.
However, only Rs52 lakh was spent in resettling 257 jhuggies under this scheme and significant money is still lying with the board unutilised, it noted. During the proceedings, various photographs were placed before the Tribunal by the railways showing that the jhuggis and even the residential buildings were not even two metres away from the outermost railway tracks.
“It shall be a time-bound programme, and finally not later than 6 month from the date of passing of this order. The Committee would finalise a time-bound programme for purposes of implementation of the policy of rehabilitation and wherever rehabilitation takes place, Railways shall put a boundary wall immediately to ensure that there is no re-encroachment on these areas,” the Bench said while hearing a plea which had alleged that the railway authorities have failed to perform their statutory duties. The residents of these slums throw plastic and other waste and it becomes difficult for the authorities to collect and deal with the municipal solid waste, it noted.