Water minister Atishi on Thursday pulled up officials for delay in Okhla's sewage treatment plant project, and gave them a deadline to start the STP by the end of this year, Delhi government officials said.

Emphasising on the significance of the project in clearing the Yamuna, Atishi said any delay in the construction of the treatment plant "will not be tolerated."

"Expedite the remaining project work by making timelines, and submitting progress reports every Monday. Any delay in their construction would not be tolerated," Atishi said.

The Delhi government is getting Asia's largest wastewater treatment plant built in Okhla, where 564 minimal liquid discharge (MLD) sewage can be treated daily and the project is in its final phase, according to the officials.

The Water minister further said cleaning the Yamuna is the priority of the Kejriwal government and that officials are working round the clock to ensure the same.

"Once operational, the Okhla STP will be Asia's largest wastewater plant - capable of single-handedly treating nearly 20 per cent of Delhi's sewage!" Atishi wrote on social media platform 'X'.

She said the Delhi Jal Board has been instructed to submit project status reports to her every week to ensure that no deadlines are missed to commission the project.

The STP at Okhla will treat wastewater from most parts of Central and South Delhi and after purifying, the treated water will be discharged into the Yamuna.

The officials said sewage from most parts of Central Delhi (mainly in the NDMC area) and South Delhi will be directed to the Okhla plant, a move that is expected to benefit 40 lakh people in the city.

They further said the plant will generate 4.8 megawatts of electricity by producing biogas from sewage sludge, fulfilling half of its energy requirements on its own.