Why didn't Delhi LG order Yamuna clean-up earlier? TMC joins debate on river cleaning

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee

A day after Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG), VK Saxena, rolled out a “four-pronged strategy” to clean the Yamuna River in the city over a period of three years, senior Trinamool Congress leadership, led by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the timing of LG's nod to clean Yamuna.

In a video clip, played up by News18, the chief minister was heard saying: "Why didn't Delhi LG order Yamuna clean-up earlier," joining the growing debate on the feasibility and political expediency behind cleaning river Yamuna.

According to the LG office, work on cleaning the Yamuna has already begun, with specialized machines such as trash skimmers, weed harvesters, and a dredge utility craft being deployed in the river. Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, V.K. Saxena, held a meeting with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary (I&FC), instructing them to begin work without delay.

The announcement comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to the people of Delhi during the election campaign that the BJP government in Delhi would clean the river which has remained dirty for a long time.

The ambitious project, which aims to clean the river within three years, will require coordinated efforts from multiple agencies, including the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Irrigation & Flood Control Department (I&FC), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and the Environment Department.

Additionally, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has been instructed to strictly monitor industrial units and prevent untreated waste from being discharged into drains. High-level oversight will be maintained to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.