NGT closes suo moto case over sewage in Delhi’s Satpula Lake after water quality improves

New Delhi, Dec 14 The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has disposed of a suo motu case relating to alleged discharge of raw sewage into Delhi’s Satpula Lake after noting that the latest inspection reports indicate improvement in water quality and compliance with environmental norms.

A Bench headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, and comprising expert members Dr A. Senthil Vel and Dr Afroz Ahmad, was dealing with an original application registered suo moto (on its own) on the basis of a news report titled “On revamp priority list Satpula Lake being filled up with raw sewage from drain”, published in April 2024.

The green tribunal noted that the news item had highlighted the pumping of untreated sewage into Satpula Lake from a large drain near Saket Court in South Delhi. It also noted that the lake was identified in 2021 as one of the wetlands proposed for rejuvenation by the Delhi government, and that it is located within a park maintained by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

Referring to inspection reports filed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the Justice Shrivastava-led Bench recorded that during an earlier inspection in July 2024, the lake was found to be “highly eutrophic” and the sewage treatment plant (STP) located in the DDA park was non-functional.

The NGT said that DPCC had, at that stage, directed the DDA to repair the dysfunctional STP and ensure compliance. However, taking on record the latest inspection report dated November 14, 2025, the green tribunal noted that the STP was found to be operational and treated wastewater was being discharged into the lake for rejuvenation.

It took note of the submission that the latest inspection of the samples collected from the lake was found to be meeting the norms, and STP-treated water is being discharged into the lake for rejuvenation.

In its order, the NGT directed that the DDA must ensure that rejuvenation channels are not blocked, the water quality meets prescribed standards, and “no untreated sewage is discharged in the lake”.

While disposing of the suo moto case, the green tribunal directed the DPCC to carry out monthly inspections of the lake, and bimonthly inspections during the monsoon season, and to submit water quality reports of both the lake and the STP to the Registrar General of the NGT within eight months to ascertain continued compliance.

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