As the Yamuna river’s purification was amongst the principal commitments pledged by the BJP during the recently-concluded assembly elections here, Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Verma on Wednesday inspected the Yamuna by boat to evaluate the cleaning project and said 1,300 tonnes of garbage had been removed from the river in the past 10 days. He took a boat ride at the boat club and went to Signature Bridge and from Signature Bridge to Okhla Barrage via Chhat Ghat at ITO.
The minister also interacted with officials overseeing the cleaning operations and reviewed progress on various sites. The focus is on the 13 km stretch from Signature Bridge to ITO, and Okhla Barrage to Chhat Ghat ITO, which is extremely polluted.
Later, he held a meeting with officials to assess the progress of the cleanup effort and said, “All drains in Delhi will be connected to sewage treatment plants (STPs) and their capacity will be increased to prevent untreated wastewater from flowing into the river.” Cleaning the Yamuna was one of the key promises made by the BJP for the recently-concluded Delhi Assembly polls.
The Minister further elaborated the government’s initiatives on the cleaning of the river and stated that the development of the Yamuna Riverfront has already begun; adding that the government will increase the capacity of the existing STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants) and new STPs will be set up in industrial areas.
He also stated that sewage treatment plants (STPs) will be installed for the 18 major drains that release effluents into the river. “All STPs are expected to be installed within two years,” Verma said.
He asserted that over the past decade, no significant efforts had been made to clean the river, “not even on paper.” “It never even occurred to the previous government to work for the Yamuna. But now, not only the Delhi government but the PMO itself is involved,” Verma added. “In 2023, Delhi faced a flood. Previously, all the floodgates were closed,” Verma said. He assured people that there will not be a flood situation in the Capital again. The gates of barrages will be raised wherever it is needed to prevent flooding.
“Our biggest commitment is to completely clean and restores the Yamuna. As of now, 1,300 metric tonnes of garbage have been removed in the last 10 days,” Verma said.
Discussing future initiatives, Verma said common treatment plants would be installed in industrial areas to ensure proper disposal of chemical waste.
Moreover, works to repair and increase the height of security walls at the ITO Barrage gates are underway to prevent flooding, the minister said, adding special drives are also being conducted to clean the riverbanks and develop green zones. “We have instructed the Delhi Development Authority to develop the Yamuna Riverfront that would transform the riverbank into a tourism and cultural hub,” Verma said.