Authorities in Delhi have informed the National Green Tribunal that the drive to seal illegal borewells across hotels and guesthouses in the national capital's Paharganj area would continue. The green panel had sought reports from the authorities, including the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the district magistrate of central Delhi, on illegal extraction of groundwater by 536 hotels or guesthouses in the area. Last month, while hearing the matter, the tribunal noted the stand of the authorities concerned that the hotels and guesthouses were operating after informing about their borewells under a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS). "Prima facie it appears that some kind of scam is going on where, though no VDS is available with the authorities, no authority knows who had framed the VDS and no one has a copy of the VDS. Yet, the authorities are extending the concessions based on VDS. We expect the chief secretary of the GNCTD (Government of the ...