Thu Dec 04 04:43:30 UTC 2025: Summary:

A plan to divert Ganga water into the Yamuna River in Delhi to combat pollution is facing obstacles. The Uttar Pradesh government has raised concerns about farmers’ potential protests over diverted water not being available for agriculture and the need for significant re-engineering. The plan involves diverting water from the Upper Ganga Canal (UGC) to the Eastern Yamuna Canal (EYC) and then into the Yamuna. While a committee is examining engineering concerns, the farmer issue remains unresolved. The project is intended to provide an interim solution to Yamuna pollution, as long-term solutions like dam construction face delays, with only one dam currently under construction and slated for completion in 2031. Previous efforts to clean the Yamuna by the National Green Tribunal have also failed to meet deadlines.

News Article:

Ganga-Yamuna Link Faces U.P. Hurdle: Delhi’s Pollution Plan Stalled

New Delhi – December 4, 2025 – An ambitious initiative aimed at cleaning the heavily polluted Yamuna River in Delhi by diverting water from the Ganga has run into complications, with the Uttar Pradesh government raising concerns that are threatening to derail the project, according to sources at The Hindu.

The plan, which involves releasing 500 cusecs of Ganga water into the Yamuna via the Upper Ganga Canal (UGC) and the Eastern Yamuna Canal (EYC), is intended to increase the river’s flow and dilute pollutants. However, U.P. officials are worried about potential farmer protests if the diverted water, passing through three districts, is not available for agricultural use.

“The U.P. government raised concerns that farmers would protest if the water is diverted and transported through a channel to Delhi and they are not allowed to use it for agriculture, despite it passing through their area,” stated an official source.

The project also faces engineering challenges. Significant re-engineering is required for the water diversion. A committee is currently reviewing these concerns, but the critical issue of farmer access to the water remains unresolved since it was initially raised in July.

This diversion plan was conceived as an interim measure to address the Yamuna’s severe pollution, a problem that Prime Minister Modi had highlighted before the Delhi Assembly elections. The ultimate solution involves constructing dams in the upper reaches of the Yamuna to store excess monsoon water for release during dry seasons. However, progress on this front is slow, with only one dam currently under construction and a projected completion date of December 2031.

This setback follows previous unsuccessful attempts to revitalize the Yamuna, including the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) “Maily Se Nirmal Yamuna” Revitalization Plan, which failed to meet its 2017 deadline. The NGT had previously mandated maintaining a flow of 23 cumecs in the Yamuna, a target that remains unmet, with the current flow at a mere 10 cumecs.

The stalled project raises questions about the future of Yamuna River and Delhi’s efforts to provide clean and sustainable water to its population.

Read More