Delhi and Haryana government officials will work together to clean and rejuvenate the Yamuna, Raj Niwas officials said on Friday, after Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena instructed them to evolve a strategy to collaborate closely for the purpose.
Following several rounds of talks between the L-G and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal, senior officials of the two States, including the Chief Secretaries of Delhi and Haryana, attended a meeting chaired by the L-G on Thursday, according to the officials.
In January this year, a high-level committee for Yamuna rejuvenation was set up by the National Green Tribunal. At Thursday’s meeting, it was decided that Haryana officials will also attend the meetings of the high-level committee headed by Mr. Saxena.
“Thursday’s meeting dwelt upon various aspects of pollution in the Yamuna caused by sources originating in Haryana as well as Delhi. Concerted efforts are required from both the States,” said a Raj Niwas official. “Any action taken by Delhi is insufficient for controlling pollution in the Yamuna since continued contamination from sources in Haryana makes the exercise futile,” the official added.
Pollution in the Yamuna has been a matter of dispute between Delhi and Haryana with the former accusing the neighbouring State of being a major contributor of pollutants flowing into the Najafgarh drain, which accounts for about 70% pollution in the river. Last month, the Delhi Jal Board had blamed Haryana for the water supply crisis in the city.
According to the DJB, Delhi was getting less water from Yamuna due to illegal sand mining in Haryana. The low water level in the Yamuna, it said, had decreased the production in Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants affecting supply in many areas of Delhi.
‘National mission’
Earlier on February 2, in a letter to the Haryana CM, the L-G had highlighted that despite assurances from the Haryana Irrigation Department, there had been no substantial progress in setting up sewage treatment plants to treat sewage before discharging it into Najafgarh drain. On Wednesday, Mr. Lal wrote to the L-G informing him of the progress made by Haryana in tackling the flow of pollutants into the river.
According to Raj Niwas officials, the L-G described the cleaning of the Yamuna as a “national mission” and instructed the officials to cooperate with each other to achieve the goal.
