AGENCY
NEW DELHI, Apr 17
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, chaired a comprehensive review meeting at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, to assess the current status of the Yamuna River and discuss the ongoing and future plans for its cleaning and rejuvenation.
He called for the use of real-time data and space technology to track drain flows and sewage plant performance, which are very important factors for the pollution of the river.
The prime minister, while emphasizing the need to create a ‘people-river connect’ to inculcate respect for the river and make the river a part of the lives of citizens, said the experience of the people of Delhi while celebrating the festival of Chhath Puja should improve. In addition to the Delhi stretch, special attention should also be paid to the culturally rich area around Braj, making the Braj Yatra part of the river-people movement, he added. The prime minister said the best available technology should be harnessed to gather micro level real-time data to measure the flows in the drains as well as monitor the functioning of the sewage treatment plants.
He said the planning and implementation of pollution abatement infrastructure should be based on the data and the same should be used for improving governance to ensure that the existing infrastructure is functioning effectively. He also advised the use of space technology for the purpose. The PM also stressed the need for a Jan Bhagidari Movement in this regard, enlisting volunteers for river rejuvenation and public events around the river. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and senior officials were present in the meeting.
The agency-wise action plan to clean the river was reviewed during the meeting that included short-term activities (three months) medium-term activities (three months to 1.5 years), and long-term activities (1.5 to 3 years).
The urgent need to rehabilitate Delhi’s drinking water system to reduce leakages and non-revenue water was also emphasized.
It has been decided that Delhi should prepare an Urban River Management Plan for holistic water management and integrate it with the City Master Plan.
Discussions were also held on the the actions to be taken for Drain Management, Solid Waste Management, Sewage Management, Septage and Dairy Waste Management, Industrial Waste Management, gap identification of waste water treatment infrastructure and monitoring measures, improving the flow in the river Yamuna, flood plain Protection, green river front development and public outreach, with specific timelines.
During the meeting, Yamuna was discussed in totality, including the actions to be taken in the Haryana stretch of the river, its stretch in the national capital, and downstream of Delhi up to the Sangam at Prayagraj.
The PM was also informed about the current status of the wastewater treatment infrastructure, and the governance issues that impact the quality of the river.
