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NGT Demands DDA Timeline to Clear Illegal Yamuna Encroachments
8 Aug
Summary
- NGT orders DDA to remove illegal encroachments from Yamuna floodplain
- 161 unauthorized colonies in 'O' zone discharge untreated sewage into river
- DDA given 6 weeks to provide timeline for clearing illegal settlements
On August 8, 2025, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to provide a timeline for removing illegal encroachments from the 'O' zone and Yamuna floodplain. This directive comes in response to a report last year that highlighted the severe environmental impact of these unauthorized settlements.
In January 2024, the NGT took suo-moto cognizance of a news article stating that 161 illegal colonies in the 'O' zone were making the Yamuna river water toxic. The report revealed that these 161 colonies, home to 2.3 lakh households, were not connected to the sewer network, allowing untreated sewage to flow directly into the river.
The tribunal noted that the existence of these unauthorized colonies in the 'O' zone and Yamuna floodplain violates environmental regulations. In its order last August, the NGT emphasized that the land in these zones does not confer any rights, and the encroachments must be cleared.
Now, the NGT has given the DDA six weeks to submit a report outlining a timeline for the removal of these illegal settlements. This move aims to address the longstanding issue of uncontrolled development along the Yamuna riverbanks, which has severely compromised the river's ecological integrity.
