Revitalizing the Yamuna: Pune Specialists Assist Delhi in Riverbed Dredging; 33 Initiatives Across Four States
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Synopsis
On March 20, the Delhi government announced 33 projects to enhance sewerage treatment capacity for the Yamuna, totaling 2,130 MLD at a cost of Rs 5,911 crore. Collaborating with Pune experts, the initiative aims at improving sewage infrastructure and riverbed dredging.
Key Takeaways
- 33 projects approved for Yamuna cleanup.
- Targeting 2,130 MLD sewerage treatment capacity.
- Costing Rs 5,911 crore.
- Collaboration with Pune experts.
- Continuous monitoring by DPCC.
New Delhi, March 20 (NationPress) To facilitate the cleaning of the Yamuna, a total of 33 projects have been approved in Delhi and other states, aimed at establishing a sewerage treatment capacity of 2,130 million litres per day (MLD) with an estimated expenditure of Rs 5,911 crore, as disclosed in Parliament on Thursday.
The Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Raj Bhushan Choudhary, informed the Lok Sabha that the Delhi Government is advancing multiple initiatives to enhance sewage infrastructure and is collaborating with Pune experts for controlled dredging in the riverbed.
Initiatives by the Delhi government include the rehabilitation of three existing sewage treatment plants (STPs) at Kondli Phase II, Rithala Phase I, and Yamuna Vihar Phase II; upgrading and increasing the capacity of current STPs; and the construction of new STPs at Sonia Vihar alongside interceptor sewer projects.
A 564 MLD (124 MGD) Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Delhi is still under construction, according to the MoS.
All operational STPs managed by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) are subjected to monthly monitoring by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), with analysis reports available on their website, he noted.
The DPCC regularly communicates with the DJB to ensure adherence to prescribed standards, as stated in response to a query from Kalyan Banerjee.
Emphasizing the measures implemented to meet sewage treatment standards, the MoS mentioned that the DJB has indicated that each contract includes penalty clauses for non-compliance with guaranteed treated effluent parameters, and payments may be withheld or recovered for failures.
Should agencies fail to respond adequately after repeated communications, there is a provision to blacklist or debar them from DJB tenders. The DJB has previously taken action against defaulting firms at various sites, he added.
Addressing controlled dredging in the riverbed along the stretch in Delhi, the MoS noted that this task is overseen by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department of the Government of Delhi, which has enlisted expert services from the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) in Pune.
The Government of India (GoI) initiated the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) in 2014-15 to rejuvenate the Ganga and its tributaries, including the Yamuna, for five years, extending the program to March 2026.
The 33 projects for the Yamuna's cleanup are also part of the NGP.
Ongoing projects include interception and diversion (I&D) with rehabilitation in Agra; I&D efforts in Muzaffarnagar; and I&D and STP initiatives for remaining drains in Mathura; I&D and STP work in Chhata, Kosi, Vrindavan, Hathras, Saharanpur, Banat, Babri, Bantikhera, Thanabhawan, and Shamli.
The tendering process for I&D and STP initiatives in Deoband is currently ongoing, the MoS confirmed.
