People have now started dumping and burning waste in the hundreds of wells across the sub-city. Pathetic!
Dwarka will never learn. If it has a problem, it will worsen it.
As if burning of horticultural waste in the open was not enough, it has now started do so inside the many wells strewn across the sub-city. In parks, in green belts and in vacant plots.
Where it should be maintaining these wells as a rich source of water and a means to further rainwater harvesting in the sub-city, it is reducing it to a site of one of the most dangerous environmental practices.
City Spidey has spotted waste being burnt in several wells across the sub-city — at the park in front of Katyayani Apartments in Sector 6, at the park in Sector 13, beside Metro View Apartments, and at the park in Sector 14, near the dispensary, being a few. Residents living the vicinity told us that the wells had been deliberately filled by the authorities. They said some even had water left in them but were still filled.
Civic agencies such as DDA and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) are unaware of the practice. Environmental activists of the area said the wells were not supposed to be filled. They blamed the authorities for the wells being used to burn garbage and horticulture waste.
“I have seen horticulture waste being burned in the well at the Sector 6 park, near the post office market," said SK Malik, a resident of Youngster Apartments, Sector 6. There are two wells covered with iron grills. I have seen one of them being used to burn garbage quite often. It is disheartening that such an environment-friendly water source is being used to cause harm to it.”
Malik said the waterless wells could be easily used as rainwater harvesting pits in parks and green areas. “The civic agencies should mull over the idea and make arrangements for the wells to catch and store rainwater. This would help in recharging the underground water table.”
Pro-environment residents of the sub-city are appalled at the apathy of the authorities. Ramesh Mumukshu, an RTI activist who lives in Sector 16, has been working towards environmental causes for a long time. “It is unfortunate that the agencies are unaware of the situation of the wells," said Mumukshu. "These wells serve as indicators of the groundwater table and are also a good source of water. With urbanisation, these relics were forgotten and neglected. The depletion of the water table has dried up most of the wells. The agencies should think of ways to use these wells instead of filling them up."
Vivin Ahuja, director, public relations, DDA, said, "We had left the wells in their natural state."
Most wells, however, are being used as dustbins and garbage dumps. Now they are being used to burn waste."
SDMC had taken over a few parks and green areas from DDA, but neither has done anything to utilise the wells.
What will be the future of these wells? And will the civic agencies be able to stop the burning of waste in them?
