CHRONOLOGY (26.4.08).pdf - PEACE Institute Charitable Trust

CHRONOLOGY
Date Event Mandate / origins Implication Remarks
30.12.
It is a statutory body.
1957
17.11.
1961
Creation of Delhi
Development
Authority (DDA) on
the recommendations
of the G.D. Birla
Committee
Creation of Yamuna
Standing Committee
(YSC) as an Interstate
expert body
under the Central
Water Commission
(CWC)
1962 First MPD (Master
Plan of Delhi)
1972 UN Conference on
Human Environment
(UNCHE),
Stockholm
Created by an act of
Parliament, “to promote
and secure the
development of Delhi”
Created to study the
interests of Delhi, its
suburbs and the Northern
Railway Bridge and to
carry out other studies on
the Yamuna at Delhi
against undue increase in
maximum flood level in
Yamuna at Delhi
Planned development of
Delhi attempted.
First ever global
conference on
Environmental issues.
1972 NCEPC established Department of Science
and Technology
established the National
Committee on
Environmental
Planning and
Coordination (NCEPC)
as a follow up to the
Stockholm Conference
1973 Delhi Urban Arts
Commission
“to advice GOI and to
advice and guide any
Becomes the 9 th
builder of the ancient
city of Delhi
Any new structure
planned in the river
bed would need prior
consideration by and
approval of Yamuna
Standing Committee
(YSC)
River Yamuna was
not part of the
planning attention in
MPD 62, other than
for the creation of
two new bridges
(ISBT Road Bridge
and New Railway
Bridge opposite
Purana Qila) over it.
Adverse impacts on
natural Environment
of human
developmental
activities came to be
accepted as a global
issue
Beginning of formal
Environmental
planning in India
Since 2005 its
mandate includes to
YSC is an expert body
looking at Yamuna from
flood angle. But it is not
a statutory body.
MPD 1962 was prepared
in technical association
with the Ford Foundation.
India was a signatory and
a prominent participant at
UNCHE
It is a statutory body

(DUAC) created by
an act of Parliament
1978 Severe Floods
(assumably 100 yr
return floods) in
river Yamuna in
Delhi.
1979 37 th meet of the
Yamuna Standing
Committee (YSC)
1980 Department of
Environment
1982 Asian Games in
Delhi
local body in the matter
of preserving, developing
and maintaining the
aesthetic quality of urban
and environmental design
within Delhi”.
Vast Devastation in
Delhi.
Model Town and
Mukherjee Nagar under
deep water.
Flood water level is
207.49 m
In light of the floods of
1978, the YSC decided
that minimum distance
between embankments
on Yamuna should be 5
km
An independent
department of
Environment created on
the recommendations of
NCEPC
Delhi hosted the Asian
Games
take a holistic view of
city-level issues
(ranging from street
furniture to density
and skyline) as well
as to focus on
proposals for sites
critical because of
size or location.
The adverse
consequences of
floods in the city and
on the citizens made
worse from artificial
restriction of river
flow and spread
became evident.
Massive
infrastructural
constructions in the
city including
construction of
a)Player’s Hostel
b)Indira Gandhi
Indoor Stadium
c)Yamuna velodrome
Danger level is 204.83 m
The present width of
the river Yamuna in
Delhi which is nowhere
more than 3 km is
already below the
minimum prescribed.
Slumisation of the city
in the river bed began
1985 Creation of Ministry
of Environment and
Forests (MOEF)
The principal activities
undertaken by Ministry
of Environment &
Forests (MOEF) consist
of conservation & survey
of flora, fauna, forests
in the river bed on the
western bank of river.
Ministry in-charge
of EIA and
providing
Environmental
Clearances to
projects

1986 Environment
Protection Act (EPA)
Septe
mber,
1988
29.3.
1989
1.8.
1990
Decadal floods in
Delhi
3500 ha of River bed
declared as
development area
by DDA
MPD 2001
and Wildlife, prevention
& control of pollution,
afforestation &
regeneration of degraded
areas and protection of
environment, in the
frame work of
legislations.
An Act to provide for the
protection and
improvement of
environment and for
matters connected there
with:
Severe floods in river
Yamuna in Delhi. Flood
water level is 206.92 m
The urban area in the
river bed (22 km stretch)
declared as development
area under section 12(1)
of the Delhi
Development Act 1957
Published in Gazette of
India, Part II of Section
3, Sub-section (ii),
Extraordinary, dated
1.8.1990.
This is the second
Master Plan of Delhi.
whereas the decisions
were taken at the
United Nations
Conference on the
Human Environment
held at Stockholm in
June, 1972, in which
India participated, to
take appropriate steps
for the protection and
improvement of
human environment;
90.74% of river bed
in city area under
water (43.62% deep
water and 47.12%
shallow water)
The area declared as
Yamuna River Front
by the DDA
Rivers in the major
metropolitan cities of
the world like
Thames in London
and Seine in Paris
have been
channelised
providing unlimited
opportunities to
develop the river
fronts…..
Considering all the
It is notable that GOI
enacted EPA in
furtherance to the ideals
of UNCHE and hence is
obliged to adhere to it
Open land was only
.02% of the total river
bed. (Page 1.75 of
NEERI, 2005)
The area actually
available under river bed
has substantially changed
since then.
Development area no. 173
lying between Wazirabad
Barrage and Okhla
Barrage.
This was a misplaced
recommendation since
the basic premise of
comparing Yamuna
with Thames and Seine
(European rivers) is
misplaced and wrong.

29.5.
1991 /
final
report
in
1993
CWPRS report on
Yamuna
1994 DDA river front
developmental plan
for river Yamuna
1994 EIA notification
(Since superseeded
by new notification
in 2006)
Septe
mber,
1995
14.01.
1997 /
Notifie
d as a
perma
nent
body
wef
6.11.
2000
Decadal floods in
Delhi
Central Ground
Water Authority
(CGWA) created by
MOEF under
Environment
Protection Act, 1986
Central Water and Power
Research Station
(CWPRS), Pune
submitted report on
“Hydraulic Model
Studies for
channelisation of river
Yamuna at Delhi”.
DDA proposed several
utilities including
residential, commercial,
recreational, public and
semi public utilities,
government offices,
circulation and work
places as part of the plan.
MOEF notified the
Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA)
notification under the
Environment (Protection)
Act 1986
Floods water level is
206.93 m
A national level statutory
body under the
administrative control of
Ministry of Water
Resources in GOI and
created by MOEF to
“regulate and control
ground water
management and
development in the
country”.
ecological and
scientific aspects, as a
project of special
significance for the
city.
The report suggested
that with due
precautions
Channelisation was
feasible.
This is to impose
certain restrictions
and prohibitions on
new projects or
activities based on
their potential
environmental
impacts
Flood waters cover a
large part of the river
bed
CGWA has been
created on the
direction of the
Hon’ble Supreme
Court
The ground situation
has greatly changed
since then
This is the basic plan of
DDA which has been
reviewed by various
expert bodies including
NEERI 1999 and 2005
reports.
Public memory indicates
water touching the top of
the Yamuna Pushta
embankment in East
It is a statutory body.

28.6.
1997 /
Issued
1.7.
1997
19.8.
1997
Augus
t 1998
Public Notice (No. 20
(II) 94-MP dated
July 1, 1997) by
DDA for change of
land use of 35 ha in
Zone O
Objections filed by
DUAC
DDA retained
NEERI for a study
on river Yamuna in
Delhi
1998 Construction of
DMRC Depot and
HQ at Shastri Park
21.9.
1999
Notification by
MOUD regarding
modification in
MPD
DDA invited
objections/suggestions
from public within a
period of 30 days for
change of land use of 35
ha falling in Zone O
(pocket III) from
‘agricultural and water
body’ to ‘Public and
Semi Public’
DUAC observed that the
urbanization of the
river belt it is observed
would have serious
repercussions on the
ecology and
environment of Delhi
including its metropolitan
areas….
NEERI assigned to
prepare an
Environmental
Management Plan for
rejuvenation of Yamuna
in NCT.
DMRC allotted land by
DDA between ISBT
Bridge and old Railway
Bridge in Eastern river
bed
No. K-20013/21/93 DD I
B Nirman Bhawan, dated
21.9.1999
DDA should initiate
the proposal only
after its viability has
been established
with the help of all
necessary studies. In
any case first of all
the clearance of EIA
authority be obtained
by DDA.
About 40 ha of river
bed converted into
Metro Depot,
Building, Residential
Flats and IT Park.
Land use of an area
measuring 42.5 ha
(105 acres) …….
Falling in Zone O
(river Yamuna) Phase
I Pocket III is
changed from
‘agricultural and
water body’ to
‘public and semi
public’ facilities.
The area in question is
mentioned as 35 ha
Page 78 and 79 of DDA
reply.
First planned assault on
river bed
(Sub Zone 03 of the
river).
It is notable that against
Public Notice for 35 ha
the final notification is
for 42.5 ha????

28.9.
1999
DDA Notification
called Delhi Urban
Heritage
Foundation
Regulations, 1999
2000 CGWA notifies
Yamuna Flood plain
as protected
21.4.
2000
12 ha land in river
bed handed over to
Akshardham for
construction
purposes.
2002 Bund created in
river bed
Nove
mber
2003
IOA wins bid to host
XI CG
(Commonwealth
Games) 2010 in
Delhi
S.O. 791 (E) dated 28
September 1999 for
setting up Delhi Urban
Heritage Foundation
Declaration of Yamuna
Flood Plain Area within
the NCT as ‘Notified
Area’
It is a building
constructed by a private
trust called
‘Bochasanwasi Shri
Akshar Purshottam
Sanathan’
A bund joining NH 24
with the new Railway
line in the river bed
“With a view to
safeguard the built
and natural heritage
of the city through
collaborative efforts
of all concerned, the
Delhi Urban Heritage
Foundation is set up
by DDA”.
Prohibited without
permission by any
person/organisation/a
gency (Govt or non
Govt) any scheme /
project of ground
water development
and management in
the said region
It is to be noted that a
plot measuring 2000
sq m was allotted to
this trust in 1985 in
Pandav Nagar
Institutional Area
(Trans Yamuna) for a
School building.
(page 168 A of DDA
reply). Which it
declined to take
possession of at that
time.
Created to safeguard
Akshardham from
future floods.
A 21 ha site in river
bed next to under
construction,
Akshardham
“provisionally”
selected for the
Games Village
It is ironical that in the
same week, the DDA on
one hand starts the
process of encroachment
onto the river bed and
on the other sets up a
body (if this has ever
been made functional is
a mystery) to safeguard
the same river bed.
Second Planned assault
on river bed.
How did Akshardham
which initially was over
only 12.006 ha (30 acres)
in the river bed finally
by 2005 cover a total
area of about 45 ha (100
acres).
No permission for this
bund was taken from
either YSC or the
DUAC
21 ha lying in Sub Zone
06, and covering only
sub section 10 (PSP),12
(Parking) and part 14
(Recharge pond) in
pocket III identified

2004 Amendment to EIA
1994 notification by
MOEF
12.1.
2005
03.05.
2005
8.9.
2005
SC judgment on PIL
against Akshardham
in river bed
WP ( C ) No. 689 /
2004
69 th meeting of
Yamuna Standing
Committee (YSC)
EIA norms made
applicable to New
townships, industrial
townships, settlement
colonies, commercial
complexes, hotel
complexes, hospitals,
office complexes
Writ Petition No 353 of
2004 by UP State
Employees
Confederation and Anr
Vrs Principal Secretary,
Lucknow, UP and Ors
Order of a bench of HC
of Delhi headed by
Hon’ble CJ
Item No. 69.2.2 East
West MRTS corridor
from CP to Dilshad
Garden.
First mooted in 2002, the
YSC had advised
DMRC not to construct
depot in the river bed
and find an alternate site .
Committee was of the
view that DMRC should
EIA and EC made
mandatory for new
construction projects
Petition dismissed.
‘River bed is a
water body (wet
land) and “it is
required to be
maintained as water
body by the DDA
and all other
authorities.”
YSC cleared the
proposal of DMRC
on 8.9.2005 despite
first asking DMRC
not to raise the depot
and residential
quarters in the river
bed
It is notable that the
petition was dismissed
on the grounds that ‘the
petitioners are unable to
rebut the statements of
the counsel appearing
on behalf of state of UP
and DDA’.
It is notable that the SC
was misled by UP state
in that there was no
change in land use of the
portion given by it to
Akshardham. The fact is
that a large part of it
has been concretised
into a permanent
parking area by
Akshardham.
What about clearances
if any from MOEF,
DUAC, CGWA?
Additionally the DMRC
is currently constructing
a depot, residential
colony, yard and station
almost 100 m from the
river edge in violation of
the orders of the HC of

Octob
er
2005
15.10.
2005
Final report from
NEERI
Additional area
identified for Games
Village
not construct any staff
quarters in this area
and approach DDA for
alternate land.
NEERI submits its final
report titled
“Environmental
Management Plan for
Rejuvenation of River
Yamuna in NCT”
Organising Committee of
CG 2010 visits the
proposed site in river bed
and identifies additional
area (sub section 13) in
the river bed
Detailed study and
recommendations for
each sub zone in the
river bed
“Prohibited raising
of any permanent
structures of
residential or
industrial nature in
the river bed”
Additional area
(16.5 ha) identified
was earmarked for
‘camping site’ in the
NEERI 1999 as well
as 2005 report
Delhi dated 8.12.2005
This expert report
should have been
immediately shred by
the DDA with all
concerned (MOEF,
YSC, CWC, DUAC,
DMRC, CGWA etc)
With this report in hand
any action contrary to
its recommendations, no
matter when considered,
should have been
stopped, or changed by
the DDA in public
interest and in Public
Trust.
In violation of NEERI
2005.
How can camping site
become residential
complex?
In violation of various
orders of HC
16.11.
2005
8 th
Decem
ber
2005
HC of Delhi
appoints Usha
Mehra Committee
HC gives further
directions to Usha
Mehra Committee
A committee to clear the
Yamuna bed and its
embankments from
encroachments appointed
by the HC of Delhi under
the Chairmanship of
Justice Usha Mehra
(retired).
“We direct the
Committee to take up in
right earnestness and on
day to day basis the task
of removing
encroachments upto 300
m from both sides of
river Yamuna in the first
instance”.
“No encroachment
either in the form of
Jhuggi Jhopri or in
any other manner by
any person or
organisation shall be
permitted.
We are making it
clear that no
structure whether it

13.1.
2006
28.2.
2006 /
issued
2
March
2006
18.8.
2006
Septe
mber
2006
14.9.
2006
5.10.
2006
DDA sells land in
river bed to DMRC
Public Notice issued
by DDA for new
additional area for
Games Village
MOUD notified
change of land use
of 16.5 ha in sub
section 13 in river
bed
EIA study by EQMS
Pvt Ltd
Karkardooma, Delhi
New EIA
notification by
MOEF
Application from
DDA to MOEF
through Secretary
(Environment) Govt.
of NCT for
Environmental
Clearance
Order No. F-34(06) 05 /
IL/DDA / 171 dated
13.1.2006 land in Zone O
measuring 31.95 ha sold
to DMRC for alignment,
station, and Yard (and no
other purpose) at
Yamuna Khadir
PN No. F.3(73)2003-MP
dated 28.2.2006 issued
for change of land use of
16.5 ha in Pocket 3,
Phase I in Zone O (river
Yamuna) from
MOUD Notification,
New Delhi, dated
18.8.2006 No. S.O. 1321
(E).
DDA sponsors an EIA
study for the Games
Village by a local agency
in Karkardooma, Delhi.
Notification No. S.O.
1533 dated 14 September
2006, MOEF, New Delhi
issued in supersession of
1994 EIA notification
EC for an area of 59.28
ha in the river bed for
following land use:
a)Commercial – 5.50 ha
b)Residential – 11.0 ha
c)Public-Semi public –
21.0 ha
d)Green – 21.78 ha
pertains to religious,
residential or
commercial or any
other purpose shall
be allowed to exist”.
It is to be noted that
the depot and
residential complex
or the Mall were not
been permitted by the
DDA in its allotment
letter dated 13.1.2006
Land use changed
from ‘Agriculture and
Water body’ changed
to Residential (11.0
ha) and
Commercial/hotel
(5.5 ha)
It has been requested
that keeping in view
the urgency and
importance of the
matter
environmental
clearance may kindly
be granted at an early
date.
Allotment in violation of
NEERI 2005 and
various orders of the
HC
In violation of NEERI
2005 and in violation of
the various orders of the
HC
MOUD acted contrary
to recommendations of
NEERI 1999 and 2005
reports
And in violation of
various orders of the
HC
The study is deficient on
many counts.
Merit is somehow
missing as a reason for
seeking environmental
clearance?

14.10.
2006;
3.11.
2006
14.12.
2006
19.1.
2007
22.1.
2007
6.3.
2007
29.3.
2007
2.4.
2007
EAC (Expert
Appraisal Committee)
at MOEF examined the
proposal
MOEF letter to DDA
DDA letter to MOEF
MOEF letter to DDA
DDA letter to MOEF
MOEF letter to DDA
DDA letter to MOEF
EAC suggested to the DDA
to find an alternative site
and indicated Safdarjung
airport as a possible site.
EC (Environmental
Clearance) by MOEF to
DDA
DDA is going ahead with
the planning and
construction of the
structures to meet the
deadline.
….DDA could go ahead
with the planning of their
construction works,
permanent or
temporary….
DDA has informed that
they are “going ahead”
with the construction of
residential units (on
permanent basis) and other
structures….
…DDA could go ahead
with their planning of
construction works….
DDA is therefore going
ahead with the
construction work at the
Games Village site…
“So far as possible the
works should not be of
permanent nature. It
should be possible to
take this point into
consideration and
adopt dismantable
structures”.
It is not clear as to why
the CWPRS report was
not referred back to
EAC as required by the
norms by the MOEF
Ist Ultimatum served
by DDA on MOEF
First amendment in
Environmental
Clearance (EC) by
MOEF.
IInd ultimatum served
by DDA on MOEF
Second amendment in
EC by MOEF based
on CWPRS report.
IIIrd ultimatum
served by DDA on
MOEF
2.4.
2007
MOEF letter to DDA
DDA could go ahead with
their construction works,
permanent or temporary,
……
Final approval by
MOEF.
How did the word
planning become
construction in just 3
days is a matter of
mystery.