PWD minister goes on boat ride along Yamuna, says 1,300 MT of garbage removed in 10 days

Cleaning the Yamuna was one of the key promises made by the BJP in the recently concluded Delhi polls. A four-pronged strategy is at the heart of a plan, rolled out by L-G V K Saxena, to clean Yamuna in three years. With trash skimmers, weed harvesters, and a dredge utility craft, the cleaning operation started last month.

Singh on Wednesday took a boat trip from the Boat Club at Civil Lines to the ITO Chhath Ghat. As the boat ferried the minister and officials, workers busily picked up solid waste along the riverbank.

Speaking to the media after the ride, Singh said, “With the help of the DDA (Delhi Development Authority), we have started work on cleaning the river… we are working on mission mode. In the last 10 days, 1,300 MT of waste has been collected from here.”

“No work has been done even on paper to clean the river in the last 10 years,” he added.

All drains in Delhi will be connected to sewage treatment plants (STPs) and their capacity will be increased to prevent untreated wastewater from flowing into the river, he said.

“…CTPs (common treatment plants) will be installed in industrial areas to ensure proper disposal of chemical waste. Special drives are being conducted to clean Yamuna’s banks and develop green zones along the river,” he added.

“We have instructed DDA to develop the Yamuna Riverfront to transform the riverbank into a tourism and cultural hub,” Singh said.

Speaking about the ferry service, he said, “The service will have one pick-up and drop point along a single stretch. There will also be a restaurant nearby. The motive is to attract more people to Yamuna.”

“The main agenda of our government is to restore the river to its original form… I want to assure the people that there won’t be a flood situation again in Delhi. Repairs, oiling, and elevation of security walls at ITO Barrage gates are being carried out to prevent flooding,” Singh added.

Accusing the previous AAP government of “misleading people and indulging in corruption in the name of Yamuna cleaning”, Singh said the Union government is looking to transform Yamuna into a clean riverfront, similar to the Sabarmati Riverfront. “The Prime Minister himself is monitoring the cleaning,” he said.

Later in the day, he had a review meeting with officials to assess the progress of clean-up efforts. Speaking to The Indian Express, Additional Chief Secretary (I&FC) Navin Kumar Choudhary said, “Solid waste is being cleared in an eco-friendly manner from the river, no chemicals are being used. The efforts have started to show… Earlier, people couldn’t come near the ghat… now they can.”