The Delhi government on Tuesday recommended to the Central government formation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) company, on the lines of Delhi Metro, to clean the Yamuna river.
"At NCR Planning Board meeting today (Tuesday) we have recommended the Centre to have a Special Purpose Vehicle (a platform containing all concerned agencies), on the lines of Delhi Metro, to help in cleaning Delhi's lifeline Yamuna river," Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain told reporters here.
He said that various agencies of the central and Delhi governments like the Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Jal Board have their parts to play in cleaning the Yamuna river, and the work gets obstructed whenever there is a lack of coordination between the work producing agencies.
Jain said for Metro construction Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was created so that every agency could work in tune with the other.
"All the stakeholders will have to unite and work together to make Yamuna pollution free. I suggested in the meeting that a common platform should be created for Yamuna cleaning and a river front development," Jain said.
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The NCR Planning Board meeting was headed by Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu. Pollution remained the key issue in the meeting.
Jain said Naidu assured to "consider" the suggestion.
"We also requested central government to allow us sufficient time for public sensitisation before notifying the Supreme Court action plan about re-introducing odd-even in the city whenever air pollution level goes up," Jain said.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court asked the Central government to notify the "graded response action plan" for different level of air pollution in the national capital and the National Capital Region (NCR) comprising areas of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
An emergency situation would result in curbs on the entry of diesel trucks in the national capital, introduction of odd-even scheme for private vehicles, a halt to the construction activities or any other steps to be decided by the task force.
In the meeting, Jain also presented recommendations by IIT Kanpur on the rising pollution level in the city.
"As a part of pollution control measures, IIT Kanpur has recommended that the power plants within 300 km vicinity of the national capital should be shut down. IIT Kanpur also backed vacuuming of dust from the city roads," Jain said.
Jain pointed out that the work on Eastern and Western Expressway by the DDA, which has been underway for the past 15 years, needed to be expedited.
"This project is expected to ease traffic congestion in a major way. These urban extension roads are located in three locations: Mahipalpur, Rohini and Kanjhawala," he added.
--IANS
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