Delhi, Haryana officials to coordinate over Yamuna clean-up: L-G office

Officials of Delhi and neighbouring Haryana will coordinate among themselves to enhance the impact of the efforts being made at the government level for cleaning and rejuvenating the Yamuna river, according to a statement.

The statement from the Delhi lieutenant general's office said officials of the two states on Thursday attended the meeting of a high-level committee set up by the National Green Tribunal for the rejuvenation of the river.

The meeting came following several rounds of discussions between Delhi L-G VK Saxena and Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar.

Saxena who chaired Thursday's meeting described the rejuvenation of the Yamuna as a national mission and asked officials of the two states to proactively cooperate to achieve the goal.

It was decided that Haryana officials will attend the meetings of the high-level committee and carry out directions in coordination with their Delhi counterparts, the statement said.

The meeting saw discussions being held on various aspects of pollution in the Yamuna river in Haryana and Delhi. Saxena thanked Haryana Chief Minister Khattar for his proactive support and instructed officials to evolve seamless coordination by undertaking joint visits.

The participants of the meeting were of the view that concerted efforts were required by both states as any action taken by only Delhi was insufficient since continued pollution from sources in Haryana made the exercise futile.

The Najafgarh drain, which accounted for about 70 per cent of pollution of the Yamuna, received 40 per cent of its most untreated discharge from three drains flowing out of Gurugram in Haryana, the statement said.

Also, the Mangeshpur and Bhupania drains from Haryana carrying huge amounts of industrial effluent emptied into the Najafgarh drain at the Kakrola regulator. The DD6 drain from Kundli Industrial Area in Haryana emptied into the supplementary drain, it said, adding DD2 and DD8 drains from Panipat and Kundli in Haryana emptied directly into Yamuna right before the river entered Delhi.

It was pointed out at the meeting that the water discharged into the Najafgarh drain and Yamuna from these eight drains required to be treated for keeping the drain and the river clean.

The Haryana officials, including the chief secretary of the state, commissioner of urban local bodies, and commissioners of Gurugram and Faridabad, detailed the efforts being made by them and assured the L-G that it will be augmented enhanced and completed within a time frame corresponding to that of Delhi.