CS to probe groundwater extraction

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Delhi chief secretary to conduct an inquiry into the illegal extraction of groundwater by guesthouses in Paharganj and the exemptions granted under a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS) that was never formally framed.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

Calling the exemptions and the scheme a "scam," the tribunal noted that while VDS was discussed in a 2013 meeting, no formal policy was ever prepared. It asked the chief secretary to assess the damage caused by illegal groundwater withdrawal, the financial loss to the exchequer, and to identify the officers responsible for granting permissions under a non-existent policy. The report is to be submitted in three months.