: The Centre and the Delhi government have agreed to work together on a comprehensive plan to clean the Yamuna, after Delhi Jal Board chairperson Kapil Mishra presented the plan to Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Tuesday.
Mr. Mishra said that this was the first such overall plan with a fixed cost and deadline to tackle all aspects of pollution in the river and its drains.
Ecological restoration
The plan includes cleaning the river by preventing sludge from Haryana and cleaning the drains entering the Yamuna, restoring the ecological value of the river by promoting wetlands, creating public spaces and putting in place a long-term management model.
After meeting Mr. Mishra and DJB officials, Ms. Bharti said: “The Centre assures its support to this initiative to clean the river and will implement the plan on a war-footing.”
Mr. Mishra said that the Delhi government would work closely with the Centre to restore the Yamuna.
“We will clean the river efficiently and cost-effectively, and create a mass campaign to bring people back to their river,” he said. The plan envisages a series of projects worth Rs.6,000 crore, and expects to carry out the work in two years.
