New Delhi, March 31 -- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to coordinate and commence the cleaning of a pond in Ayanagar village, ruling that its maintenance cannot be delayed due to inter-agency disputes.

The tribunal was hearing a plea by a local resident, who in November 2023 alleged that the village pond (johad) on Khasra number 1706 was being filled with municipal solid waste and debris, causing it to dry up and "lose its identity".

In their March 21 reports, both agencies denied responsibility for rejuvenating the pond. DDA argued that the water body was part of Khasra number 1704, not 1706, and had been handed over to the erstwhile South...