Sun Feb 16 16:04:02 UTC 2025: ## Yamuna River Cleanup Begins After Delhi LG’s Directive

**New Delhi** – A large-scale cleanup operation of the polluted Yamuna River commenced Sunday, following a directive from Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena. The initiative, utilizing trash skimmers, weed harvesters, and dredge units, comes after a meeting between the LG and the Chief Secretary, and aims to address a long-standing environmental concern that dominated headlines before recent Delhi elections.

The LG’s office outlined a four-pronged strategy: removing trash and silt from the river; simultaneously cleaning the Najafgarh Drain, Supplementary Drain, and other major drains; monitoring existing sewage treatment plants (STPs) and implementing a plan to construct new STPs to address a shortfall of approximately 400 million gallons per day (MGD) of sewage treatment capacity; and strict enforcement of industrial effluent discharge regulations.

The ambitious plan, projected to take three years, requires collaboration between multiple agencies including the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Irrigation and Flood Control Department (I&FC), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Environment Department, Public Works Department (PWD), and Delhi Development Authority (DDA). Weekly monitoring of progress will be conducted, with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) tasked with ensuring industrial units comply with discharge regulations.

The cleanup effort has been a key political promise. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), after winning the Delhi Assembly elections, pledged to make the Yamuna River a symbol of the city. Earlier statements by BJP officials reiterated commitment to completing the cleanup within a specified timeframe.

The initiative marks a renewed push after a period of delay. Following the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) formation of a high-level committee in January 2023 to oversee the cleanup, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government challenged the NGT order in the Supreme Court, leading to a temporary halt. The recent surge in pollution levels further underscored the urgency of the situation. The current operation aims to significantly improve water quality and control pollution within the next three years.

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