Rajendra Singh & Ors vs Government of NCT of Delhi & Ors. Country/Territory India Type of court National - higher court Date Nov 3, 2008 Source UNEP, InforMEA Court name High Court of Delhi Seat of court New Delhi Judge SIKRI, A.K.REKHA SHARMA. Language English Subject Water, Environment gen. Keyword Ecosystem preservation Environmental security Land-use planning Recreational forest Flood Recreational water use Abstract On 13.09.2003, Commonwealth Games Federation selected Delhi as the venue for Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held from 3rd to 14th October, 2010. After due deliberations, XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 are being hosted in Delhi pursuant to a commitment made by the Indian Olympic Association in the form of an agreement in which it agreed to host the games in India with the approved standards and requirements of the Commonwealth Games Federation. Complaining that the Governmental agencies and the DDA are effecting various steps including massive construction on the periphery of Yamuna river, apprehending that the action being taken would not only destroy the river Yamuna but also pose severe threat to the Delhi city as well and in order to stop the entire proceedings, the petitioners moved the High Court of Delhi. The main claim of the petitioners before the High Court was to the effect that the ongoing construction would affect the ecological integrity of the "riverbed" besides causing irreversible damage to the "floodplain". Refuting the apprehensions and the allegations of the public interest litigants, the Respondents i.e. the Central Government authorities - Ministry of Environment & Forests, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Government of Delhi and DDA filed separate counter affidavits extensively dealing with all the subjects including the apprehension about the alleged damage to the ecology of the Yamuna riverbed, floodplain and other environmental hazards. Apart from highlighting these aspects, they also placed various reports from specialized agencies like Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF), Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and Central Water Power Research Station (CWPRS). They also pointed out that when the change of "category" was published by way of public notice, though certain general objections were raised, no specific objection was raised by anyone. By order dated 03.11.2008,the High Court refused to interfere with the project in question, however, it directed that a Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. R.K. Pachauri, which is to be constituted by the Government, was to examine and monitor the construction carried out by the DMRC. Apart from the said direction, on the same day, one of the Judges i.e. Rekha Sharma, J. while agreeing with the judgment prepared by A.K. Sikri, J. issued further directions castigating the Government and made serious insinuation against their officers. After those directions propounded by Rekha Sharma, J., the other learned Judge, A.K. Sikri, J. approved the same by treating those directions and observations as "post script" and held that the directions issued by Rekha Sharma, J. would be deemed as directions of the Bench. Full text COU-155953.pdf Website www.delhidistrictcourts.nic.in