The Delhi government today presented to the Centre a comprehensive plan to clean the Yamuna river and restore its ecological value and was assured of support for the initiative.
A Delhi Jal Board (DJB) delegation led by Water Minister Kapil Mishra presented the plan to Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti at Shram Shakti Bhawan here.
The plan includes cleaning of all drains flowing into the river and stopping the sludge coming from Haryana.
Apart from this, the government will also restore the ecological value of the river by building biodiversity parks and ecological landscapes like treatment wetlands, catchment wetlands, mosaic of grasslands, floodplain forests, terrestrial forest communities and new habitats.
After seeing the presentation, Bharti said, "I am impressed by the work done by the DJB in creating such comprehensive plan to turnaround the condition of the Yamuna river. They have incorporated almost all points suggested by the Union Water Ministry as well."
"The Union government assures its support to this initiative of cleaning the river and will implement this Yamuna turnaround plan on a war-footing," she was quoted as saying in a release by the Delhi government.
Later, Mishra said, "We will work closely with the Union Water Ministry on DJB's plan for Yamuna and commit to the treatment of polluted water, ensure proper seepage management and develop public spaces along the Yamuna river."
"We will also create a mass campaign to bring people back to the river," he added.
