Phase III of Yamuna Action Plan approved for Delhi

The Environment ministry said it has approved the phase III of Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) for Delhi besides sanctioning two projects of pollution abatement for the river in Sonepat and Panipat in Haryana.
"The YAP Phase III project for Delhi has been approved by the ministry at an estimated cost of Rs 1,656 crore with loan assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency," Environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan said while replying to a question in Rajya Sabha.
She said that besides this, two projects have also been sanctioned by the ministry at an estimated cost of Rs 217.87 crore for taking up works related to pollution abatement of river Yamuna in Sonepat and Panipat in Haryana located upstream of Delhi.

She informed the Rajya Sabha that for addressing the problem of pollution in Yamuna, financial assistance is provided to UP, Delhi, Haryana under YAP since 1993.
"Under phase I and II of YAP, pollution abatement works have been completed in 21 towns of UP, Haryana and Delhi at a cost of Rs 1453.17 crore. Sewage treatment capacity of 942.25 mld has been created under the plan," she said.
She admitted, "The water quality of Yamuna has not shown the desired improvement owing to a large gap between the demand and availability of sewage treatment capacity and lack of fresh water in the river," Natarajan said.

The Minister said that the state governments apart from assistance received under National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) as well as their own budgetary allocation are also assessing financial assistance for creation of sewerage infrastructure including setting up of sewage treatment plants in various towns under central sector schemes.

Natarajan said that to control industrial pollution, action is taken against non complying industries under the provisions of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution ) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act 1986.
"Under NGRBA, CPCB has identified 764 Grossly Polluting Industries (GPI) in the states on the main stem of Ganga and its tributaries Kali-East and Ram Ganga. Out of 764 GPIs, 683 have been inspected by CPCB and actions have been taken against 170 non-complying industries under relevant acts," she added.

She said that the total expenditure incurred so far on conservation of Ganga under Ganga Action Plan (GAP), which is part of NRCP, is Rs 938.61 crore. Sewage treatment capacity of 1,098 mld has been created under GAP, she added.