Delhi govt confirms 2013 launch of voluntary disclosure scheme amid NGT scrutiny

New Delhi: Delhi govt has clarified through an affidavit to NGT that a voluntary disclosure scheme (VDS) was indeed established in 2013, in which Paharganj's hotels and guesthouses disclosed illegal extraction of groudwater through tubewells or borewells. The decision had come following a meeting involving secretary (environment), DJB CEO, and Central Groundwater Authority chairman. A public advertisement was issued in 2014, requesting details from all private and govt entities using tubewells and borewells.The clarification comes after NGT questioned last month the exemptions granted to 185 guesthouses in Paharganj under VDS, noting that no central or state govt organisation had acknowledged creating such a scheme. The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change, CGWA and DJB, all denied establishing the policy, prompting NGT to demand clarity from Delhi govt."Prima facie, it appears that some kind of scam is going on, where, though no VDS is available with the authorities, no authority knows who framed VDS and no one has a copy of it. Yet, the authorities are extending the concessions based on VDS. We expect chief secretary of GNCTD to inquire about this issue," the tribunal noted on Nov 27.In its response dated Dec 6, Delhi govt, through director (environment) on behalf of Delhi chief secretary, confirmed that the policy was discussed and formulated during a 2013 meeting. "As per the minutes of the meeting constituted under the chairmanship of then secretary (environment) with CEO DJB, DC (south west), divisional commissioner, chairman CGWA and secretary irrigation and flood control department...for collating data of illegal as well as permissible borewells/tubewells," the submission stated.Following a meeting on April 21, 2014, environment department published newspaper advertisements requesting voluntary disclosure of all tubewells/borewells within three months, with disclosure formats available on DJB's website.NGT has been considering a petition by Delhi activist Varun Gulati since 2021, seeking action against guesthouses in Paharganj illegally extracting groundwater.A Nov 2022 survey by Delhi Pollution Control Committee identified 536 guesthouses and hotels in Paharganj, with 442 found extracting groundwater. Seventeen establishments were closed, while 77 were not using groundwater. Initially, notices were issued to 257 guesthouses, with 185 claiming groundwater extraction under DJB's VDS. However, by Aug 2023, DPCC had invalidated the scheme and imposed Rs 1 lakh fines on all 442 establishments.