LG VK Saxena Unveils 3-Year Plan to Clean Yamuna River
The Yamuna River, Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena has unveiled a comprehensive “four-pronged strategy” to clean the river within Delhi’s city limits. The ambitious plan aims to make the Yamuna cleaner within the next three years, addressing long-standing environmental concerns and ensuring the river’s rejuvenation.
This announcement, made on Sunday, comes in the wake of promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the recent Delhi Assembly elections. The Prime Minister had assured the public that every effort would be made to clean the Yamuna, a matter which became a key issue during the campaign. PM Modi also criticised the previous government for failing to make any substantial progress on the matter. The LG’s office confirmed that efforts have already begun in earnest. As part of the initial phase of the project, trash skimmers, weed harvesters, and dredge utility crafts have started operations to remove debris and silt from the river. The plan’s immediate focus is on cleaning the riverbed and removing waste that has accumulated in the waterway over the years.
Additionally, major drains like Najafgarh and Supplementary will undergo simultaneous cleaning operations. The Delhi government has emphasised the need for a holistic approach to managing the city’s waste water and ensuring that the river is free from pollutants. One of the key steps in the project is enhancing the capacity of existing sewage treatment plants, while also constructing new ones. The plan includes setting up decentralised sewage treatment plants to manage the city’s wastewater efficiently. A daily watch on the sewage treatment plants’ capacity and output will be maintained, and authorities will ensure that any issues in treatment are swiftly addressed. Coordination across multiple agencies will be crucial for the plan’s success. The Delhi Jal Board, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Public Works Department, and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) will all play significant roles in this effort.
According to the LG office, the restoration work will be monitored on a weekly basis, with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee keeping a close watch on the discharge of untreated effluent from industrial units into the drains. This will help ensure that pollutants do not enter the Yamuna, further deteriorating its condition. The cleaning of the Yamuna has been a significant issue for Delhi residents, with many people lamenting the river’s polluted state over the years. In fact, it became a major topic of conversation during the Delhi Assembly elections, with the BJP pledging to develop a Yamuna riverfront and establish a Yamuna Kosh to revitalise the river.
With BJP’s recent victory, winning 48 out of 70 seats, they have now assumed office in Delhi, returning after 26 years. The party has expressed a strong commitment to cleaning the Yamuna, with Prime Minister Modi reiterating his promises made during the election rallies. He acknowledged that cleaning the river is a difficult and time-consuming task, but reaffirmed that the government would make every effort to serve the Yamuna and restore its glory. The success of this comprehensive plan will depend on effective coordination and follow-through from all involved departments. It remains to be seen how quickly these measures will bear fruit, but there is hope that in the next three years, the Yamuna will see significant improvement, providing cleaner and healthier waters for Delhi residents and revitalising an important natural resource for the city.
