New Delhi: A kilometre-long, lake-like stretch filled with sewage water has developed on the
Jawaharlal Nehru University premises, triggering concerns among students and staff that the contamination could pose health risks and harm wildlife that depends on water sources in the campus forest.
The sewage water is flowing into the campus from a damaged line along the boundary with neighbouring residential areas, JNU officials said, and has collected along the stretch of road leading towards the vice-chancellor's residence and the Poorvanchal residential complex.
Spread across more than 1,000 acres on Southern Central Ridge of Aravali, nearly 30% of the university's campus is designated as forest cover.
During a visit on Friday, TOI found that in several sections, the wastewater had stagnated into a large, murky waterbody, with dark green patches and froth visible on the surface, emitting a strong smell in an area frequently used by students and residents. The accumulation has formed in a depression alongside the road that earlier functioned as a rainwater catchment during the monsoon.
University officials said the sewage was meant to flow into a treatment plant. Civic bodies earlier tried to stop the inflow, but the sewage continues to enter the campus, officials said.
"The wastewater entering from a damaged sewage line from the neighbouring Vasant Kunj has been flowing into the campus for the past five years. We have written to the civic agencies several times, most recently during the previous monsoon," an official said, adding that Delhi Jal Board (DJB) had promised to look into the matter. "Briefly the flow was stopped, but the sewage has started entering again and we plan to write to the agencies again."
Residents said the stagnant water had turned the stretch into a foul-smelling passage. "JNU is a campus with dense greenery and maintaining it is important to prevent any outbreak of disease that could affect both residents and wildlife. The stench not only makes it difficult to pass through the area but may also lead to water-borne diseases," said Ram, a visually impaired PhD scholar.
A walk through the campus forest revealed other concerns as well. A makeshift cowshed was found with several cows tied there. Students and locals alleged that dairy workers from nearby Masudpur village had been rearing their cattle in the area. Nearby, a large mound of construction and demolition waste has formed a hill-like structure, with broken concrete, bricks and rubble scattered across patches of the forest.
The visit also revealed a damaged stretch of the boundary wall and an abandoned guard post, making it easier for outsiders to access the campus forest. Pointing at the damaged wall, Rajpal, a 60-year-old retired sanitation worker from Masudpur, said he often walked through the ridge, feeding animals. "Many people enter the forest at night from this side and engage in illegal activities," he said, claiming that the area has become a hub for druggies.
Nearby, Surender, who operates a taxi stand close to the cowshed, said the cattle belonged to dairy owners from Masudpur. "They keep them here and come during the day to milk them," he said, claiming that his taxi stand had permission from Delhi Development Authority.
JNU officials said contractors undertaking construction works on the campus were required to transport C&D waste to govt-designated disposal sites outside the university. "Construction debris is not supposed to be dumped inside the campus. The matter will be examined," an official said.
The issue of debris dumping in the ridge area had come under scrutiny earlier too. In 2016, NGO Chetna approached National Green Tribunal, alleging that construction debris generated from university works was being dumped inside the reserved forest. NGT then sought responses from JNU and the matter has since been disposed of.
A forest department official said Southern Central Ridge came under Delhi Development Authority. "However, we will send a team to inspect the non-forestry activity happening there," he said.
There was no response from DDA regarding the alleged encroachment and dumping inside the ridge area. Queries sent to Municipal Corporation of Delhi and DJB regarding the damaged sewage line and steps being taken to repair it remained unanswered.
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