Disposed

News Item Titled "on Revamp Priority List Satpula Lake Being Filled Up With Raw Sewage from Drain" Appearing in the Times of India Dated 06.04.2024 vs

NGT2 Dec 2025Original Application No. 539/2024

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Upon suo-moto application regarding raw sewage discharge at Satpula Lake, the NGT observed that the lake was previously found non-compliant due to a non-functional STP. The court noted recent reports showing the STP is now operational and treated water is being discharged. It directed the DPCC to conduct monthly inspections and submit compliance reports electronically within eight months.

What did the court decide?

DPCC to carry out monthly/bimonthly inspections and submit water quality reports via email confirming STP functionality and compliance within eight months.

News Item Titled "on Revamp Priority List Satpula Lake… — Environment and Pollution | NGT (2025)

¶1

Item No. 15

¶2

Court No. 1

¶3

BEFORE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI

¶4

Original Application No. 539/2024

¶5

News item titled “On revamp priority list Satpula Lake being filled up with raw sewage from drain” appearing in The Times of India dated 06.04.2024

¶6

Date of hearing: 02.12.2025

¶7

CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAKASH SHRIVASTAVA, CHAIRPERSON HON’BLE DR. A. SENTHIL VEL, EXPERT MEMBER HON’BLE DR. AFROZ AHMAD, EXPERT MEMBER

¶8

Respondents: Ms. Mansi Bajaj, Adv. for DDA (Through VC)

¶9

Mr. Narender Pal Singh, Adv. for DPCC (Through VC) Ms. Jyoti Mendiratta & Ms. Ananya Basudha, Advs. for R - 3 (Through VC)

¶10

ORDER

¶11

This Original Application (OA) was registered suo-moto on the basis of the news item titled “On revamp priority list Satpula Lake being filled up with raw sewage from drain” appearing in the Times of India dated 06.04.2024.

¶12

The news item had revealed that there was pumping of raw sewage into Satpula Lake from a large drain in Khirki near Saket Court in South Delhi. It has also disclosed that Satpula Lake was listed in 2021 as one of the 1,040 wetlands to be rejuvenated by Delhi Government’s wetland authority. This Lake has an area of 3.06 acres as per official record and is situated inside a park of Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

¶13

Tribunal by the order dated 16.05.2024 had impleaded the concerned authorities and had issued notices to them.

¶14

The reports dated 24.07.2024, 17.01.2025 and 26.06.2025 were filed by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). In the report 24.07.2024 following status of the Lake was disclosed:-

“xxx

xxx xxx

2. That, in compliance to the order dated 16.05.2024, an inspection of the site was carried out on 24.07.2024 by the DPCC officials. During the inspection, it was observed that:

¶19

The Satpula lake is found to be highly Eutrophic. Very less water observed in the lake despite ongoing monsoon season.

¶20

There is an open drain adjacent to the lake.

¶21

The lake is situated in a DDA Park and maintained by DDA.

¶22

There is a STP plant in the DDA park. The plant operator Sh. Bhagwan Das informed that they take waste water from the adjacent drain and dispose the treated effluent in the pond for its rejuvenation. Plant operator also informed that the capacity of the STP plant is 20 KLD and STP plant consists of treatment units (Inlet in drain, Screen chamber, collection tank, Chemical dosing tank and filter beds).

¶23

It was seen that the STP is non-functional and no water is being treated and pumped into the lake since long.

¶24

There is no garbage dumping observed in the lake.

¶25

Copy of the geo-tagged photographs of the site taken during inspection on 24.07.2024 are enclosed herewith as ANNEXURE-1(Colly).

¶26

¶27

3. That, in view of the above findings of the inspection and eutrophic conditions, DPCC issued a letter on 29.07.2024 to DDA to repair the dysfunctional parts of the STP so as to make it functional and submit the treated water analysis report of STP from DPCC lab or any other NABL accredited laboratory within 15 days. Copy of the letter dated 29.07.2024 issued to DDA is attached herewith as ANNEXURE-2.

¶28

4. That, no reply has been received from DDA so far. The present status taken report may kindly be taken on record.”

¶29

In the subsequent report dated 21.04.2025, DPCC had stated about

¶30

the improvement in the condition of Lake. The latest report of the DPCC is

¶31

stated 01.12.2025 which states as under:-

¶32

“5. That, in compliance with the order dated 04.08.2025, DPCC carried out fresh inspection of the STP with water lab on 14.11.2025. During the inspection it was observed that:

¶33

a) There is an open drain adjacent to the lake. b) Lake is situated in DDA Park and maintained by DDA. c) During inspection it was observed that the STP is operational. d) As per the information provided by the operator of STP, DDA pumped waste water from the adjacent drain and treat it in STP and discharge the treated effluent in the lake for its rejuvenation.

¶34

¶35

e) STP has inlet in the drain from where waste water is pumped into OF NOT the STP then it has screen chamber, collection tank, chemical dosing tank and filter beds.

¶36

f) No by-pass was observed during the inspection.

¶37

Copy of the photographs taken on 14.11.2025 is enclosed herewith as ANNEXURE-1.

¶38

6. That, DPCC collected water samples on 14.11.2025. The Water Quality Criteria for propagation of Wildlife fisheries (Class-B) and STP with water test reports with the notified standards is provided

¶39

in the table below:

¶40

S. No. Location Date of pH COD BOD DO NO3 Total Fecal
Name Sampling (mg/1) (mg/1 ((mg/1 (mg/1 Coliform Coliform
MPN/100 MPN/100
ml ml
Water Quality Criteria for propagation of 6.5- - 3 or 4 or - 5000 or -
Wildlife and fisheries(class-B) less more less
1 Satpulae 14.11.2025 7.8 72 20 1.7 1.3 2200 -
Lake
S. Location Date of pH TSS(mg/1) BOD COD Oil & Ammo Phos Fecal
No. Name Sampling (mg/1 ((mg/1 Grease nical phate Coliform
(mg/1) Nitrog MPN/100 ml
en
(mg/I)
STP Standars 6.5- 50 30 100 10 5 2 230
9.0
1 Sample 14.11.2025 7.3 28 18 68 12 4.8 1.8 1800
Lake

¶41

Copy of the analysis report of Satpula Lake are enclosed herewith as Annexure-(Coly). ”

¶42

The Learned Counsel for the DPCC submits that in the latest inspection the samples collected from the Lake were found to be meeting the norms and STP treated water is being discharged in the Lake for rejuvenation.

¶43

¶44

So far as ownership and possession of the Lake is concerned, Counsel for the DDA does not dispute it, hence, primary responsibility of maintaining the Lake is with the DDA.

¶45

It has been pointed out that the work of revival of Lake was issued to International Rotary Club and NOC dated 23.06.2022 has been placed on record by DDA along with its report dated 28.09.2024.

¶46

In such circumstances, DDA is required to ensure that Lake is properly maintained, its rejuvenation channels are not blocked and water quality of the Lake meets the prescribed notified standards. It is also required to be ensured that the STP from which the treated water is discharged in the Lake performs within prescribed parameter and no untreated sewage is discharged in the Lake.

¶47

The DPCC will carry out monthly inspection of the Lake and bimonthly during the monsoon season. The DPCC will submit the report of water quality of lake and STP before the Registrar General of the Tribunal within eight months from today to ascertain the compliance of the directions of the Tribunal via email at [email protected], preferably in the form of a searchable PDF/OCR-supported PDF and not in the form of an Image PDF. If it is found necessary, the matter will be listed for consideration before the bench again.

¶48

11. The OA is disposed of accordingly.

¶49

Prakash Shrivastava, CP

¶50

Dr. A. Senthil Vel, EM

¶51

A. Afroz Ahmad, EM

¶52

December 02, 2025 Original Application No. 539/2024 A

¶53

News Item Titled "on Revamp Priority List Satpula Lake Being Filled Up With Raw Sewage from Drain" Appearing in the Times of India Dated 06.04.2024 vs

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

News Item Titled "on Revamp Priority List Satpula Lake Being Filled Up With Raw Sewage from Drain" Appearing in the Times of India Dated 06.04.2024 vs

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

A compact analysis

Parties & counsel

Coram

Case details

Similar cases

Satam Patnaik vs State of Odisha through Chief Secretary of Odisha

Santosh Devi vs Union of India

Aajib Ali vs State of Uttar Pradesh

Dr Amit Kumar vs Union of India

Residents Welfare Association Savita Vihar vs Irrigation & Flood Control Department

Sama Soma Narsaiah vs Union of India

T Kalki vs State of Tamil Nadu

Firdos S Cambatta vs State of Gujarat through the Collector Ahmedabad

Ms Sukdeep Poultry Farm vs Punjab Pollution Control Board

Ms Sukdeep Poultry Farm vs Punjab Pollution Control Board

Rakesh Kaushal vs

News Item Titled "a Fire That Fails to Die Down" Appearing in the Hindu Dated 07.11.2025 vs

M/S Rama Natural Foods Pvt. Ltd. vs Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas

M/S Rama Natural Foods Pvt. Ltd. vs Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas