Delhi govt embarks on ambitious project to rejuvenate Yamuna

The Delhi government has embarked on an ambitious project to rejuvenate the Yamuna with an aim to rid the river of pollutants, stop discharge of all sorts of effluents into it and making its river-front beautiful as well as environment friendly.
The "Rejuvenation of River Yamuna" project is being implemented by the Delhi government with assistance from the Centre and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
Officials said assistance of the Netherlands in areas of its expertise like in river engineering and modelling, water resources management and pollution control to clean the Yamuna has been sought.
Lt Governor Najeeb Jung today chaired a meeting of the governing body of the Unified Centre for Rejuvenation of River Yamuna which is the nodal agency for implementation of the project.

The meeting was attended by representatives from ministries of Urban Development; Environment and Forest; and Water Resources; Central Ground Water Board, DDA, Delhi Jal Board, PWD, DMRC and Delhi government.
The plan to rejuvenate the river is being coordinated by DJB through its interceptor sewage project while the riverfront development has been entrusted to DDA which will set up biodiversity parks and recreational spaces.

Asking all departments and agencies concerned to work hard on the project, Jung instructed Environment Secretary Sanjeev Kumar to take steps through Delhi Pollution Control Committee to ensure that pollutants, especially from industries, are not allowed to flow into the Yamuna.

The Lt Governor underlined the need to increase the quantum of water in Yamuna and officials informed that dredging of lakes such as Bhalswa and Sanjay lake could help create capacity to store water during the monsoons. Jung directed the officials to start work on it immediately.
"The key objectives are to make river Yamuna into a thriving river, together with cleaning it and beautifying the river-front, which is at the same time environment friendly," said a senior official.