LG’s proactive role in the cleaning of Yamuna on a war footing is commendable : Ch Anil Kumar
NEW DELHI, May 1, 2023—Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ch. Anil Kumar said that it was commendable that Lt. Governor Shri V.K.Saxena was playing a proactive role in restoring Yamuna to its old clean, bathable level, by launching the “Clean Yamuna Abhiyan” on February 12, 2023 on a war footing, as he had also claimed that so far 1200 Metric Tonnes of slush/waste has been removed from the river, after he undertook an 11km boat ride from the Signature Bridge to the ITO barrage, but all these efforts would come to nought unless the Delhi Government sets up Sewage Treatment Plants to ensure that only treated water is discharged from the drains falling into the Yamuna. He said that besides the untreated drain water flowing into Yamuna, the ammonia discharged from factories have made the water toxic, as the Rs 6800 crore squandered by the Arvind Kejriwal Government in the name of Yamuna cleaning seems to have gone down the drain without achieving any result, and there was no sign of the Yamuna water attaining bathing standards anytime soon.
Ch. Anil Kumar said that officials had claimed that it was possible to clean the Yamuna in Delhi to bathing standards and achieve water quality to support propagation of aquatic life by 2025, but it can be achieved only by treating all the domestic wastewater and industrial effluent and further cleaning it using in-situ techniques. He said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on several occasions said that the river will be cleaned to bathing standards by 2015 and he would take a dip in the river, but so far, his promise had remained a pipe dream as the Delhi Government has not setup sewage treatment plants at the drains falling into Yamuna. He wondered in such a situation, how could the Lt. Governor’s claim of cleaning the Yamuna by June 30, 2023 be achieved. He said that the mere removal of plastic and slush from Yamuna will not make its water bathable unless treated drain water is discharged into it.
Ch. Anil Kumar said that as he has failed in cleaning the Yamuna, Kejriwal has also failed in checking air pollution, though he makes tall claims after the air quality improved following a few spells of rains in the Capital. He said that for the past nine years, Kejriwal has been making hollow claims about improving the air quality, though he has squandered crores for setting up air purifier plants and introducing mechanical road sweepers and water sprinklers. He said that air pollution could be controlled only if the broken roads are carpeted, industrial pollution and vehicular emissions checked for which the Kejriwal Government has not drawn up an effective road map, other than making tall promises and indulging in blame-games.
