Yamuna river cleanup drive begins days before BJP forms Delhi govt

The Yamuna cleanup initiative will follow a three-year revival plan guided by a four-pronged strategy

Days ahead of the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Delhi, a large-scale effort to clean the heavily polluted River Yamuna commenced on Sunday. The initiative, guided by a four-pronged strategy, aims to restore the river within three years.

 

  According to officials from Raj Niwas, the cleanup process has begun with the deployment of trash skimmers, weed harvesters, and dredgers to remove waste and silt from the river.

 

Yamuna cleanup: A key election promise

Cleaning the Yamuna was a major pledge in the BJP’s election manifesto. The party assured voters that its government in Delhi would collaborate with the central government to develop a modern riverfront and establish a Yamuna Kosh, a dedicated fund for the river’s restoration.

 

 

During the BJP’s victory celebrations on February 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his commitment to making the Yamuna pollution-free.

 

Four-pronged strategy to cleanup Yamuna

Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena, in a meeting on Saturday with senior officials, directed immediate action on the cleanup plan. The strategy involves:

 

1. Debris and silt removal: Clearing trash and accumulated sludge from the Yamuna and major drains, including the Najafgarh and Supplementary drains.

 

2. Sewage treatment: Monitoring and enhancing the performance of existing sewage treatment plants (STPs) while expediting the construction of new STPs to treat an additional 400 million gallons per day (MGD) of sewage.

 

3. Inter-departmental coordination: Ensuring seamless collaboration among agencies such as the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Irrigation & Flood Control Department (I&FC), Environment Department, Public Works Department (PWD), and Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

 

4. Regulatory oversight: Strengthening enforcement by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to prevent industries from discharging untreated effluents into city drains.

 

"Strict monitoring will be conducted at the highest levels on a weekly basis to ensure smooth execution of the plan," said an official from the LG’s office.

 

Past River Yamuna cleanup efforts

The AAP government, upon assuming office in 2015, pledged to rejuvenate the River Yamuna within five years. Despite this commitment, the river remains heavily polluted a decade later.

 

Between 2015 and 2021, approximately Rs 6,856.91 crore was reportedly spent on Yamuna cleaning initiatives, according to a report by The Wire. Despite this no tangible improvement in the river was reported.

 

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued directives in 2015 for the establishment of 32 additional sewage treatment plants (STPs). However, by 2019, none had been completed, with officials citing land acquisition issues and impractical deadlines. This lack of infrastructure has perpetuated the discharge of untreated sewage into the river. In 2018, the NGT highlighted the absence of a unified approach, resulting in overlapping responsibilities and accountability gaps.

 

Tensions between the Delhi government and neighbouring states, particularly Haryana, over the release of untreated, ammonia-contaminated water into the Yamuna have exacerbated the situation.

 

A large-scale Yamuna rejuvenation project was launched in January 2023 under the supervision of a high-level committee (HLC) mandated by the NGT and chaired by LG Saxena. However, AAP contested the formation of the HLC, arguing that it encroached upon the state's jurisdiction. This legal dispute culminated in the Supreme Court staying the NGT's order establishing the committee on July 10, 2023, effectively halting its operations after just five meetings.

 

Yamuna restoration plan

 

In its ‘Viksit Delhi Sankalp Patra’ (Developed Delhi Resolution Document), the BJP outlined a detailed action plan for the Yamuna’s revival. This includes expanding sewage treatment capacity to 1,000 MGD and increasing common effluent treatment capacity to 220 million litres per day (MLD).

 

The BJP swept the Delhi Assembly elections on February 5, securing 48 out of 70 seats.

 

(With agency inputs)