This action plan will make the Yamuna clean again?

Since the 1990’s numerous unsuccessful attempts have been made by the governments, businesses and civil society to restore the cleanliness of the Yamuna. The Delhi government has recently proposed a six-point action plan to bring the Yamuna back to bathing standards by February 2025, and the renewed focus is on solid waste and sewage treatment.

Recently, images from the Yamuna’s toxic foam went viral. The toxic floating foam in the river indicates the presence of phosphates and surfactants in the untreated sewage from Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Short-term exposure to this polluted water leads to skin irritation and allergies, whereas long-term exposure leads to neurological issues and hormonal imbalances. The Chief Minister of Delhi announced the proposal while focusing on upgrading the existing facilities at the four major drains. These drainages are located at Najafgarh, Ghazipur, Badshahpur and Supplementary (Wazirabad), whereas new localized drain facilities will also be constructed. The agenda is to increase the sewage treatment capacity of wastewater from 600 million gallons a day to 750-800 million gallons.