Will trap Kushak drain completely by 2025, says DJB

New Delhi: Delhi Jal Board has told National Green Tribunal that it will trap the Kushak drain completely by 2025.The stormwater drain flows through south Delhi neighbourhoods such as Greater Kailash and Defence Colony. Of the 11 drains from which sewage enters Kushak, six have been trapped, and the process is on to trap the other five. Residents of B block in GK-1 had filed a plea in NGT, claiming that a foul smell was coming from the drain.In a report to NGT, DJB said: “Sewage falls into Kushak drain from Jagdamba Camp (JJC Camp) behind Triveni Market.” However, trapping the sewage in the line there was not a feasible, so it has been done Krishi Vihar.DJB said that March 31, it will make functional the trapping of Chirag Dilli Drain near the Krishi Vihar culvert. “Sewage is entering the Chirag Dilli Drain at the Press Enclave Road culvert (opposite the Saket court) from a PWD drain coming from the Khirki village and work is likely to be completed by this month,” DJB said. It added that sewage coming from Tigri and Sangam Vihar, near Vayu Sena (Air Force Station) in Dakshinpuri, into the Chirag Dilli drain will be trapped by March 2024. Sewage from Mehrauli will be trapped by June 2025.Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which filed a report on this matter before NGT, said: “Desilting of drains is a continuous process. The foul smell or gases from the flowing water is likely to continue till the time the sewage is intercepted at the source by DJB.”Residents had filed a plea with NGT last year, saying that the Kushak drain, a large portion of which is covered, has been left open for a small stretch touching the rear of some houses — B-159 to B-187 — in Block-B (North), GK-1. The foul smell was coming from there. Apart from being a health hazard, it was causing inconvenience to residents, the plea said. NGT had sought a report from the authorities concerned.Activist Sunil Kumar Aledia, who had filed another plea in this case, said: “There has hardly been any improvement in the drain in terms of the foul smell or its appearance.”