New Delhi, March 19 (NationPress) The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, T.S. Sandhu, took decisive action on Thursday to address the alarming froth accumulation in the Yamuna River by visiting the Kalindi Kunj banks alongside experts to devise a plan for remediation.

In a post on social media, the L-G stated, “I visited the Kalindi Kunj Ghat adjacent to the Yamuna river along with senior officials from relevant departments to conduct a firsthand evaluation of the prevailing conditions.”

During his visit, Sandhu engaged in discussions with both local and international specialists from renowned scientific institutions to pinpoint effective and sustainable solutions for the pollution crisis.

The day prior, a political controversy ignited when the Delhi government announced a tender amounting to Rs 6.2 crore for two “VIP inspection boats” intended for monitoring and surveying the Yamuna River, while significant froth was observed near Kalindi Kunj, prompting environmental worries.

The Irrigation and Flood Control Department released the tender on March 12 for the acquisition of two boats, each priced at approximately Rs 3.1 crore. As outlined in the tender documents, these vessels are designated for river monitoring, surveys, and inspection missions conducted by high-ranking officials.

This initiative faced fierce backlash from Congress National Secretary Abhishek Dutt, who claimed that the government was prioritizing costly vessels over addressing the escalating pollution in the Yamuna.

“Currently, pink foam is evident in the Yamuna. This pink foam consists of sewage, industrial discharge, and dry waste. The pollution levels are exponentially higher than acceptable standards for the Yamuna’s cleanliness. Yet, this government shamelessly proceeds to acquire boats worth Rs six crore,” he remarked to IANS.

In response to the critique, Mohan Singh Bisht, Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Assembly and a BJP member, pointed out that the pollution in the Yamuna is a consequence of long-standing negligence by previous administrations.

“It is factual that all of us carry some responsibility for the Yamuna’s water turning pink. Direct discharges from drains into the river occurred. Congress governed for 15 years, and the Arvind Kejriwal administration for 11 years, yet there was a lack of installation of effluent treatment plants (ETPs),” he stated.

Bisht continued, “Had the ETPs been established, the water would never have turned pink, it would not have been contaminated, and fish would not have perished. Our government has only been in power for a year, and we have already initiated efforts to cleanse the Yamuna.”