Expert suggests zero industrial discharge, maintenance of flow for cleaner Yamuna in Delhi

In order to pave way for a cleaner Yamuna river in Delhi, the experts have suggested stopping the discharge of industrial pollutants in the river and maintain its flow.

Speaking to ANI, Manoj Mishra, the Convener of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan said "It seems our decision-makers could not understand the river Yamuna and that is why they keep changing the goal post on it. If we talk about Yamuna Action Plan, then as per that plan, the river should have been rejuvenated by 2001. Later the National Green Tribunal also gave an order to rejuvenate the river by 2017 at any cost, but it never happened. Now DPCC reported that the Yamuna cannot be rejuvenated even by 2023."

He said that the goal of cleaning could not be achieved till there was dependence on only the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).

The former IFS officer added, "The Yamuna anyway cleaned itself in March-April last year when there was a lockdown and there was no discharge of industrial pollutants and it rained good enough. So the river itself shows that all it needs is the maintenance of its environmental flow and no discharge of industrial pollutants".

Pawan Kumar Thakur, the operator at the site, toldthat there is no permission for immersion and challans were issued if any immersion was found.

"We don't allow any sort of immersion of idols and materials used for worships. We issue a fine for that. We capture the number plate of vehicles of defaulters and the immersion of materials on camera," Thakur said.

He also added that over the past few months, there is improvement in the cleanliness of the river.

( With inputs from ANI )