Yamuna Clean-Up Begins In Delhi Days After PM's Promise, BJP's Poll Win

Trash skimmers, weed harvesters and dredge utility units were in action as the Yamuna cleaning work, which dominated the headlines in the run-up to Delhi polls, began on Sunday. 

The action follows a meeting between Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and the Chief Secretary of the national capital, where an immediate directive was issued to clean the Yamuna river.

According to a statement from the Lieutenant Governor's office, there is a "four-pronged strategy" to tackle the issue of pollution in the Yamuna.

"To begin with, the trash, garbage and silt in the Yamuna River stream will be removed. Simultaneously cleaning operations in the Najafgarh Drain, Supplementary Drain, and all other major drains will start," read the statement.

For the other two methods, the statement added, "3. At the same time, a daily watch on the existing STPs (sewage treatment plants) in terms of their capacity and output will be maintained, and a time-bound plan in terms of construction of new STPs/DSTPs, etc., to meet the actual shortfall of treating about 400 MGD of sewer will be put in place and operationalised."

The L-G's office has set a three-year timeline to clean the river, emphasising the need for 'seamless coordination' between various agencies and departments.

"The execution of this ambitious plan that targets cleaning the river in about 3 years will require seamless coordination between various agencies and departments that include DJB (Delhi Jal Board), I&FC (Irrigation and Flood Control Department), MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), Environment Department, PWD (Public Works Department) and DDA (Delhi Development Authority)," the statement read.

There will be weekly monitoring of the cleaning progress, and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has been instructed to has been directed to ensure that industrial units in the city do not discharge dirty water into the drains. This step is being taken as part of the efforts to rejuvenate the Yamuna river, improve the quality of its water, and control pollution.

"Monitoring of the abovementioned works will be done at the highest level on a weekly basis. In addition to this, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has been directed to keep a strict vigil on the discharge of untreated effluent into the drains by Industrial Units in the City," the statement added.

Cleaning the Yamuna, which has repeatedly seen toxic foam spewing from certain areas, has been a promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before they won the Delhi Assembly elections. 

In the lead-up to the polls, Arvind Kejriwal claimed that the Haryana government was mixing "poison in the Yamuna" river.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his poll speech ahead of the Assembly elections had also said that the BJP will make "Yamuna ji the identity of Delhi."

"I have pledged during the election campaign that we will make Yamuna ji the identity of Delhi. I know this is not very difficult. No matter how much time is taken, no matter how much energy is used, but if the resolve is strong, then blessings of Yamuna ji will remain with us," assured the Prime Minister after the BJP won the polls. The win comes after a wait of 27 years. 

On February 13, Union Minister Harsh Malhotra asserted that the party would begin cleaning the Yamuna and finish within the given timeframe.

"We have to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi. We will begin working on the Yamuna and finish the task within the given timeframe. Our priority is to bring the garbage mounds to ground zero," Mr Malhotra told news agency ANI.

The restoration of the Yamuna began in January 2023 in mission mode when the National Green Tribunal (NGT) formed a high-level committee under the chairmanship of L-G Saxena. The committee's objective is to control the pollution of the river and take concrete steps for its cleaning. The committee has ordered that industrial units in Delhi must not discharge any dirty or polluted water into the drains.

Following five meetings of the high-level committee overseeing the cleaning efforts, the then Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by Arvind Kejriwal approached the Supreme Court, challenging the NGT order appointing the L-G as the head of a high-level committee on Yamuna River pollution. 

The then Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, stayed the NGT's order. Consequently, the Yamuna restoration work was halted.

Earlier this year, pollution levels reached record highs.