Class IX girl moves HC over sewage-filled pond near school

In her plea, the girl said, ‘The place has become a breeding ground for diseases. We cannot concentrate on studies because of unhygienic conditions’ (Express/Representational)

A Class IX student of a government school in Aya Nagar has moved the Delhi High Court underlining that around 3,000 students, as well as others in the area, were deprived of a clean and healthy environment because of garbage and sewage accumulating near a pond in the vicinity of the school.

Speaking to The Indian Express, the 13-year-old girl said, “The situation has been the same for several years. Many children have fallen ill. The place has become a breeding ground for diseases. We cannot concentrate on studies because of unhygienic conditions.”

She said despite school management making several representations to authorities, no action had been taken. The girl, however, reposed full faith in the judiciary, saying, “Now that the court has intervened, we are hopeful of a positive outcome.”

Councillor of Aya Nagar, Ved Pal, said, “There is not a single dhalao in the area. We are awaiting dhalao land for Aya Nagar and Jonapur from the Delhi government. As soon as we get the land, the problem will be solved.”

As per the petition, the area between the pond and the school was converted into a “huge dump of garbage and sewage water”, which made it “very difficult” for students to attend classes in the newly constructed school building. It said the sewer water continued to enter the pond.

Despite earlier directions of the high court, whereby the Delhi government and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) were assigned different tasks with regards to the pond, there was either no compliance or partial compliance, resulting in waste of public money, the plea said. “As a complete plan was not envisaged, the lack of planning has forced the problem to reoccur,” it stated.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar ordered immediate inspection of the area and sought a status report from the Delhi government, the SDMC and the Delhi Jal Board. It also directed authorities and the petitioner’s counsel to meet the principal and inspect the pond.

The bench asked the girl to point out the area to the authorities, who should file a status report on the issue. The matter is listed for hearing on February 5.