New Delhi, Mar 6 (PTI) Lt Governor V K Saxena Monday inspected the ongoing work of cleaning the Yamuna river at Qudsiya Ghat here and said the target is to rejuvenate the Delhi stretch of the river by June 30.
He also took a nearly 20-minute boat ride on the river.
Saxena launched the Yamuna cleanliness drive on February 16. The Qudsiya has been cleaned in the last two weeks.
“At that time, it was not even possible to stand here because of the stench. But, as I had said, cleaning Yamuna is our duty and we have to do it by coming together. The changes that you have seen in these 15 days will now be seen on both banks of the Yamuna,” he told reporters.
Massive planning has been done and efforts are being made to stop drains from emptying into the Yamuna. “You saw one drain and how in a scientific manner it is being stopped and being cleaned”, Saxena said.
All drains will be trapped like this, and water entering into Yamuna will be clean, the L-G said adding, “This is our endeavour.” “The target is that by June 30, the Yamuna river’s stretch here will be cleaned, along both banks. After seeing this change today, I believe we will be successful in that endeavour,” he said.
A cleaning process of the river was also demonstrated to him at the ghat.
“In the next six months, the Yamuna would be cleaner and a large area on the western bank will be restored and rejuvenated into a breathable public green space,” the L-G was quoted as saying in the statement by the Raj Niwas.
The cleaning of the Yamuna is going on in full swing under the direct supervision of the L-G, as mandated by the National Green Tribunal, vide its order dated January 9, the statement said.
Interacting with reporters, Saxena said a massive plantation drive will be started in Yamuna floodplains on March 21 the International Day of Forests as proclaimed by the UN.
The Yamuna river will be rejuvenated slowly and restored to the condition it was centuries ago, the L-G said.
“Our appeal is that what we are restoring it, let’s maintain them. Eighteen kilometres of the Najafgarh drain has been cleaned. People are supporting it a lot and not dumping garbage into it. Slowly a change will come,” Saxena said.
Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, Municipal Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, and fashion designer Ritu Beri were also present on the occasion.
On cleaning of Qudsiya Ghat, the statement said, apart from putting in place an innovative “drain BOD reducing” technique, the water has been completely cleaned of all garbage, hyacinth and plastic waste using floating booms and a mechanised conveyor machine installed along the river bank.
As a result, the stink, which was earlier unbearable for even 10 minutes, has reduced significantly, it said.
BOD (biological oxygen demand) is the amount of dissolved oxygen that microorganisms like bacteria need to oxidize and hence is significant for water quality.
The LG later tweeted that a “remarkable transformation” has been achieved in just a fortnight at Qudsiya Ghat, as part of the cleaning process, and said that from a “stinking waste-ridden dead marsh to now”, the change is “visible”.
An artificial wetland system comprising root treatment plants, namely canna indica and vetirvar grass has been created to clean the sewage water coming through Qudsia Drain and riverine grasses have been planted to stabilise the banks of the drain, the statement said.
The Territorial Army provided by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), is ensuring that the cleaned stretches of the flood plains are not polluted or encroached upon again, the statement said.
Several students of the Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical for Women and B R Ambedkar University, who were earlier called by the LG to witness the condition of Yamuna, on Monday witnessed the transformation of the river.
The students pledged to lend all their support to the cause and restore Yamuna for a sustainable eco-system, it said.
Saxena commended the officials for bringing about a “visible change” on the floodplains at Qudsia Ghat in just over two weeks and exhorted them to maintain the pace of work.
The LG also issued instructions to officials to trap the drains falling into Yamuna, carry out-desilting of the trunk and peripheral sewer lines on a priority basis and upgrade the existing sewage treatment plants (STPs), as per the decisions taken in the first meeting of the High-level Committee, constituted by the NGT. PTI KND NSD NSD
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