With the change in government in the national capital, an action plan to rejuvenate the Yamuna river has been submitted to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), focusing on boosting sewage treatment capacity and other critical measures, officials said on Wednesday.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) under the Department of Environment presented a document to the PMO last week regarding the cleaning and rejuvenation of the Yamuna.
The plan, accessed by PTI, also outlines key measures, including tapping of major drains, setting up new sewage treatment plants (STPs), connecting drainage system in JJ clusters, trapping all drains, upgrading common effluent treatment plants (CETPs), removing encroachments from floodplains and beautifying the riverfront.
Cleaning of the Yamuna was at the centre of politics in the run-up to the Delhi assembly polls with the BJP slamming the then ruling AAP for failing to rejuvenate the river during its 10-year rule.
The BJP, which has come to power winning 48 out of the 70 assembly seats in the recent polls, has said cleaning of the Yamuna will be among the top priorities of its government in Delhi.
According to the document sent to PMO last week, the DPCC has highlighted that the 48-km stretch of the Yamuna from Palla to Asgarpur village in the city has been classified as a "Priority-1" (top priority) polluted stretch.
A key concern raised in the document is the high Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels, which remain far above the desired standard of 3 mg/l. To improve water quality, the document has emphasised the need for a minimum environmental flow (E-flow) of 23 cumecs (437 MGD).
However, due to existing water shortages, the current flow into Delhi is nearly nil. Pending dam projects, including Renuka, Lakhawar and Kishau, could help address this gap, it said.
The plan to curb pollution includes a 100 per cent sewage treatment initiative, which involves upgrading 37 existing STPs and constructing new ones.
The city's sewage treatment capacity is set to increase from 792 MGD (million gallons per day) in 2023 to 964.5 MGD by December 2026, with a new STP planned at Delhi Gate and 40 new decentralised STPs (DSTPs) in the pipeline.
Additionally, 14 existing STPs are scheduled for upgradation by December 2026.
Efforts are also being made to trap and divert 22 drains that flow into the Yamuna.
According to the DPCC's document, 10 drains have already been tapped, two are partially tapped and eight remain untapped.
Five major drains — Najafgarh, Shahdara, Barapullah, Maharani Bagh and Mori Gate — are yet to be addressed to divert 48.14 MGD of waste water by December 2025.
The plan also focuses on expanding the sewerage network in unauthorised colonies and JJ clusters, with 1,799 unauthorised colonies currently undergoing work. The target for completion is December 2026.
Addressing concerns over encroachment, the report states that over 1,500 acres of floodplain have been cleared in the past 31 months, with drone surveys assisting in further removal.
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has been tasked with restoring riverfront areas, developing biodiversity parks and removing construction debris. A drone survey is also being conducted to assess and clear further encroachments, the plan stated.
For the beautification and restoration of the Yamuna riverfront, the plan includes the development of 11 biodiversity parks and wetland areas covering approximately 1,600 hectares.
The restoration of historical ghats is also a key focus, with Vasudev Ghat already developed and DDA working to conserve the old ghats.
Additionally, the removal of construction waste and debris from the floodplains is being prioritised, with the DDA coordinating efforts to clear materials left from bridge, metro and rail projects.
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