New Delhi, Feb 15 (Agency) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday said it has issued notice to Delhi government, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) over reported inaction on the complaints of overflowing choked sewer lines and contaminated water in the Vishnu Garden area in the national capital. Taking suo motu cognizance of a media report that the residents of the NW Block of the Vishnu Garden area are facing extreme difficulty due to the industrial waste being inappropriately disposed of by a jeans dying unit in the drains of the colony which blocks the drains as well as the sewage lines in the residential area, the Rights body has issued the notices to the Chief Secretary, MCD Commissioner, and the Chief Executive Officer of DJB and sought detailed reports in the matter within 4 weeks Reportedly, the sewage water keeps overflowing on the colony roads and the drinking water has also been contaminated. Several complaints have been made by the residents to the civic authorities but no action has been taken.
The Commission said it has also sought a report from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) regarding action taken by them against the industrial unit responsible for causing the pollution in the area. Issuing the notices, the Rights body said that the interest of the general public in Article 19(5) of the Constitution is a comprehensive expression comprising several issues which affect public welfare, public convenience, public order, health, safety, etc. all intended to achieve the socio-economic justice of the people. “The expression life, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution has a much wider meaning, which includes the right to livelihood, better standard of living and hygienic conditions while living at home or in the working place. Therefore, it is the bounded duty of the State to protect the above rights of the citizens in the discharge of its constitutional obligation in the larger public interest,” the NHRC said in a statement.