The central government has finalized the ‘Yamuna Master Plan’ to clean the heavily polluted river in Delhi and will soon present it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for approval, sources told India Today. The plan, crafted in mission mode, is expected to be a game-changer in tackling Delhi’s water pollution crisis.
The BJP had made Yamuna’s revival a key poll promise in the Delhi elections, with AAP and BJP clashing over the river’s deteriorating condition. The project gained momentum last week after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordered the launch of Yamuna cleaning efforts, aligning with PM Modi’s electoral pledge to address the capital’s pollution emergency.
Blueprint Inspired by Sabarmati Riverfront
According to India Today, the Jal Shakti Ministry consulted experts behind Gujarat’s Sabarmati Riverfront project while formulating the plan. Several high-level meetings have been conducted to finalize the roadmap.
The Yamuna cleaning project will focus on four key areas:
- Removal of waste and silt from the riverbed.
- Cleaning major drains polluting Yamuna.
- Strict monitoring of sewage treatment plants (STPs) to prevent untreated waste from entering the river.
- Expansion of treatment infrastructure to improve water quality.
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Performs Yamuna Aarti
Delhi’s newly sworn-in Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited Vasudev Ghat with her cabinet ministers to perform Yamuna aarti, signaling the government’s commitment to the river’s revival. A video shared by Delhi BJP showed her accompanied by leaders Baijayant Jay Panda, Parvesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and Kapil Mishra during the ritual.
AAP vs BJP: The Political Blame Game Continues
With Yamuna’s rising pollution levels, the issue has turned into a major political battleground. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal accused BJP-led Haryana of contaminating the river, alleging that "poison" was being mixed into Yamuna to disrupt Delhi’s water supply. The BJP and Haryana government denied the claims, calling them politically motivated.
