57. As already noticed above, vide order dated 13th September, 2013 passed by the Tribunal, the Expert Committee was required to examine and critically analyse the Yamuna River Front Development Plan of the DDA as well. This was done by the Committee. This Plan of DDA is an Integrated project of recreational areas along with, bio-diversity parks, in four of the subzones of the 'O Zone'. The area proposed for the implementation of Yamuna River Front Development {YRFD} scheme by the DDA, is the active Flood Plain which is frequently flooded by medium floods. According to the Expert Committee, the proposed activities such as construction of various recreational and public facilities, by effecting topographic changes, will reduce the flood carrying capacity and aggravate flooding, besides contributing to pollution. Development of the flood plains has to be strictly done, while keeping the biodiversity intact and ensuring that no major and impermissible construction activity is permitted on the flood plain. Biodiversity parks could be made at suitable locations, for example, sub-zone IV and sub-zone. VI, as recommended by the Expert Committee in its report. The Committee has specifically noticed that the flood carrying capacity of the river has been considerably reduced due to encroachments and waste dumps resulting in flooding of its banks every year and this was also reported by NEERI in its report of 2005. The Committee has suggested that new wetland habitats should be created for biodiversity conservation, whenever feasible, and interconnectedness between wetlands for water movement and exchange should be promoted. The Expert Committee, for the reasons stated in its Report, suggested that the YRFD plan of DDA is untenable and should be stopped. It has already been placed on record that the DDA itself admits in their proposed re-delineation of 'O Zone', in terms of the public notice issued by it on 28th September, 2013, that the 'River Front' refers to an area that lies outside the embankments of a river, but the area of the proposed YRFD plan is within the active floodplain. Thus, it is recommended that this YRFD scheme should be replaced by another plan for restoration of the river and its floodplain, as suggested by the Expert Committee and accepted by the High Powered Committee. We direct that all the recommendations of the Expert Committee, including the above, should be implemented without any further delay.
