Union Home Minister Amit Shah today chaired a high-level review meeting in New Delhi on the rejuvenation of the Yamuna River. Union Ministers Manohar Lal and C.R. Patil, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and other senior officials attended the meeting. Addressing the meeting, Mr Shah said that a clean and pristine Yamuna is a collective resolve under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called for coordinated efforts by the governments of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, along with concerned ministries, under an integrated action plan.
The Home Minister stressed the need to maintain the prescribed ecological flow of the Yamuna through joint action by the three states. He announced that a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the National Dairy Development Board to prevent dairy waste from entering the river. Under the arrangement, cattle waste will be transported directly to biogas and manure plants, while waste along the riverbanks will be managed scientifically.
Mr Shah said desilting of drains flowing into the Yamuna is progressing rapidly. He informed that 97 per cent of the targeted 28.57 lakh metric tonnes of silt has already been removed and the remaining work will be completed by the 15th of this month. He directed that the extracted silt be utilised in manufacturing and other projects to prevent it from flowing back into the river during the monsoon.
The Home Minister said 129 Sewage Treatment Plants have been completed across Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, while 59 more will be constructed by the end of next year. He called for continuous monitoring of water quality indicators, including Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand and Total Suspended Solids, in sewage treatment plants, industrial units and drains discharging into the Yamuna.
Mr Shah also directed that industrial and dairy waste treatment facilities be designed keeping future requirements in view. He asked officials to prepare detailed action plans with clear timelines for all Yamuna rejuvenation projects and ensure long-term maintenance mechanisms. The Home Minister directed that the progress of the Yamuna rejuvenation programme be reviewed every twenty days.
