CM Rekha Gupta's ambitious promises for Yamuna, Delhi air quality

Rekha Gupta

Delhi Chief Minister and Shalimar Bagh MLA Rekha Gupta on Friday shared her plans to make the capital city clean, and said that the Centre and her government are working together to fix "major issues".

Highlighting the key projects her government is working on to improve Delhi’s air, water and infrastructure at the India Today conclave on Friday, Gupta said that her government is a part of the "Narendra Modi team" and "if the Delhi government starts working with the Centre without losing any time, it will definitely get what it had been devoid of during the AAP regime," she said.

She spoke about the Yamuna and promised that the river would be cleaned in three years. "The river will have cruise boats similar to the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad, she added.

"Wherever canals carrying city water enters Yamuna, we are setting up STPs to clean the water," she said.

"Our government will work with the governments of the neighbouring states to fix the issue of air pollution, in addition to fixing the in-house problems," she said. "We have the solution to the Delhi's pollution," she added.

Gupta also promised to turn Delhi’s massive landfills into green belts. "Work has already begun to plant saplings and gradually replace the landfills with greenery and parks," she said.

She also said that her government will fix the problem of waterlogging that causes major issues in Delhi every monsoon, and the "outcomes of these efforts would be visible in 2025 only."

Gupta promised that her government will ensure a steady supply of water, so people do not suffer from water cuts this summer.

Hours after taking oath as Delhi’s chief minister and before her first cabinet meeting, Rekha Gupta had headed to a Yamuna ghat to perform an 'aarti' with her cabinet colleagues, sending a clear signal that rejuvenating the toxic river will be a top priority for the BJP.