Days after the Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, authorities in India's capital have begun the process of cleaning Yamuna River as a video showed trash skimmers, weed harvesters and dredge utility vehicles deployed to the mighty river on Sunday (Feb 16). 

Advertisment

The cleaning work started after a meeting between Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and the chief secretary of the national capital, where an immediate directive was issued to clean the Yamuna River. 

Delhi Lt Governor Office said, "Works on cleaning river Yamuna have already begun with trash skimmers, weed harvesters and a dredge utility craft already starting cleaning operations in the river today." 

Also read: 4.0-magnitude quake jolts Delhi and surrounding regions, PM Modi urges people to 'stay calm'

Advertisment

"Delhi LG VK Saxena yesterday met the Chief Secretary and ACS (I&FC) and asked them to start work immediately," it added. 

BJP, during the election campaign, had vowed to work on cleaning the Yamuna River. The work began following a four-pronged strategy to free the river from heavy pollution in three years. 

Also read: New Delhi station stampede: Railways investigating if ‘fake news’ fueled deadly stampede 

Advertisment

What is the four-pronged strategy for Yamuna? 

According to the Delhi Lt Governor's Office, a four-pronged strategy has been put in place to tackle the issue comprehensively. 

1) To begin with, the trash, garbage and silt in the Yamuna River stream will be removed. 

2) Simultaneously, cleaning operations in the Najafgarh Drain, Supplementary Drain and all other major drains will start.

3) At the same time, a daily watch on the existing STPs in terms of their capacity and output will be maintained. 

4) A time-bound plan in terms of construction of new STPs/DSTPs etc to meet the actual shortfall of treating about 400 MGD of sewer will be put in place and operationalised. 

Also read: Third US deportation flight with 112 Indians lands in Amritsar amid outrage over alleged 

Watch the video here: 

Lt Governor's office said that the execution of this ambitious plan, which targets cleaning the river in about three years, will require seamless coordination between various agencies and departments that include DJB, I&FC, MCD, Environment Department, PWD and DDA. 

"Monitoring of the abovementioned works will be done at the highest level on a weekly basis. In addition to this, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has been directed to keep strict vigil on discharge of untreated effluent into the drains by Industrial Units in the City," it added. 

Also read: Who will be Delhi’s next CM? BJP to decide in Feb 19 meeting 

PM Modi's promise 

During the celebrations at the BJP headquarters after the Delhi elections win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to make every effort to clean the Yamuna River, resolve civic issues related to cleanliness and pollution, and deliver on all his guarantees to make Delhi a future-ready city.

Addressing party workers after the BJP's victory in the Delhi Assembly polls, Modi also slammed the outgoing Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for insulting people's faith by making no efforts to clean the Yamuna, failing to build good roads in the capital and keeping the city clean.

"I had pledged during the election campaign that we will make Yamunaji the identity of Delhi city. I know this work is difficult and will take a long time. No matter how much time is spent, how much energy is used, we will make every effort to serve the Yamuna," the prime minister said at the victory celebrations at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters. 

(With inputs from agencies)