20-km stretch of Yamuna in city to be cleaned by 2017: Uma Bharti

Ravi S.Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 17

Residents of Delhi can heave a sigh of relief, for Minister of Water Resources Uma Bharti today said that bulk of the stretch of Yamuna coursing through the city would be cleansed by 2017.

The minister informed the Lok Sabha that an inceptor will be installed along the 20-km stretch. This will ensure cleansing 80 per cent of it.

The construction works on the proposed interceptor would commence by April next year.

She said that the present logistics had the capacity to sanitise only about 2031 MLD out of the total of about 5021 MLD of water in the river. Even this was not working to its optimal capacity.

According to her, Delhi stretch of the Yamuna, which has genesis in Yamnotri and terminates at Prayag, was the most polluted. As many as 18 major "nullahs" (drains), including Nazafgarh Nullah, let out city's discharges into the river.

She said that the ministry has decided to sanction a project to increase the flow in the river. On account of meager flow, the silt and waste could not be carried forward.

She further said that a committee has been constituted under the secretary of the ministry to devise a plan to cleanse the entire river. Representatives of the Delhi Government are on it.

" I have directed for submission of an Action Plan by the committee by April," she said.