The Delhi Development Authority (
dda) has come up with another loophole-infested plan. Its draft Zonal Development Plan
(zdp) for the Yamuna suggests major changes in the land use pattern of the riverbed. Outlawing riverbed farming, considered the most legitimate and ecologically useful activity on the riverbed, is one such change. Subsection (1) of section 8 of the Delhi Development Act, 1957, makes mandatory a
zdp to protect the riverbed. Originally to be enforced along with the Master Plan for Delhi-2001 (
mpd-2001) way back in 1990, the
zdp draft is 15 years late.
As per the
mpd -2001, the Yamuna riverbed falls under two categories: Zone-
p (north of Wazirabad Road up to the northern boundary of the
nctd, or National Capital Territory of Delhi) and Zone-
o (south of Wazirabad Road up to
nctd's southern boundary). The draft
zdp has dropped Zone-
p; the entire riverbed (9,700 hectares) now falls under Zone-
o, subdivided into eight zones (see table:
Death knell).
Planning experts claim the draft
zdp sounds the death knell for the Yamuna, already under onslaught (see:
'Master Violators',
Down To Earth, September 15, 2004). Poonam Prakash, lecturer at the School of Planning and Architecture
(spa) , New Delhi, says
dda is disregarding legal procedure: "As per section 8 of Delhi Development Act, 1957, large scale modifications in land use, as suggested in this draft
zdp, can be made only through the
mpd and not a
zdp. Besides, the draft neither mentions agriculture, nor details like how much land (in percentage) will be public or semi public in a particular sub-zone."
Death
knell
Proposed changes in the land use pattern of the Yamuna riverbed |
| Sub-zone |
Reach |
Land use as per MPD |
Approx
area (hectare) |
Proposed predominant Land use |
|
East |
West |
| O1 |
Haryana Border
Wazirabad Barrage |
Rural |
3,620 |
Recreation |
Recreation |
| O2 |
Wazirabad ISBT
Barrage |
Recreational
(District Park), Rural & Water Body |
1,100 |
Recreation
Pondage |
Recreation
Pondage |
| O3 |
ISBT Bridge
Old Railway Bridge |
Recreational
(District Park), Transportation & Water Body. Public and Semi Public |
225 |
Recreation
Pondage |
Recreation
Pondage |
| O4 |
Old Railway
Bridge IP Barrage |
Transportation,
Recreational (District Park) Commercial River & Water Body |
800 |
Public and
Semi Public Facilities |
Public and
Semi Public Facilities |
| O5 |
IP Barrage New
Railway Bridge |
Electric Power
House. Transportation, Recreational (District Park), River and Water Body |
365 |
Recreation
Public and Semi Public Facilities |
Recreation
Public and Semi Public Facilities |
| O6 |
New Railway
Bridge NH 24 Bridge |
Recreational
(District Park), River and Water Body |
390 |
Recreation
Public and Semi Public Facilities
Transport |
Recreation
Public and Semi Public Facilities
Transport |
| O7 |
NH 24 Bridge
Okhla Wier |
Recreational
(District Park), River and Water Body |
1,300 |
Recreation
Public and Semi Public Facilities |
Recreation
Public and Semi Public Facilities |
| O8 |
Okhla Wier UP
Border |
River &
Water Body |
1,900 |
— |
Public and
Semi Public Facilities |
| Source: Anon 2004, Zonal
Development Plan For River Yamuna Area (Zone ‘O’ and Part Zone ‘P’)
(Draft), Delhi Development Authority, mimeo |
|
While the draft zdp doesn't mention farming, communities spread over a large part of the riverbed, in areas like Tejpal Ki Bagichi, Dholakpala and Belagaon, have been farming the riverbed for generations. Some of them even trace their land rights to the pre-Independence era. These communities faced a crisis earlier this year, when the then Union tourism minister Jagmohan initiated a cleanliness drive (see: 'Beautification drive', Down To Earth, May 15, 2004).
Planners are also worried about several illegal structures on the riverbed. "If this zdp is implemented in its existing form, it will legalise all illegal structures on the riverbed," warns K T Ravindran, professor, spa, New Delhi. Prakash elaborates: "The issues related to public objections on changed land use for some structures on the riverbed have not been sorted out. Incorporating changes in the zdp makes them legal." Gita Dewan Verma, a Delhi-based planner, says: "What happened to the public objections filed against the public notices for land use change for structures like Delhi Metro Rail's station? We are gearing up to comment on the draft in the form of public notice, as we had done earlier. "
Copies of the draft zdp have been sent to the Union ministry of environment and forest, the Central Pollution Control Board, the Yamuna Standing Committee, the National Capital Region Board and the Haryana government for 'official' comments. It has not been made public. It will be updated on the basis of official responses and a copy of the updated plan would be sent to the Union ministry of urban development and poverty alleviation for approval. After its approval, a public notice would be issued, asking the public to file its objections within 90 days. 
