The Delhi govt’s Rs 20 crore Yamuna cruise project promises sunset views and ‘Titanic pose spot’, and is being pitched as a boost to green mobility and river-based tourism.
In Episode 1599, Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta, joined by Senior Assistant Editor Soumya Pillai, discusses factors contributing to Yamuna’s sorry state & political blame game around it.
The viral video has been digitally edited to make it seem like Apple's digital assistant 'exposed' the ex-CM over failed attempts to clean Yamuna River. No such question was asked.
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's comment had triggered a political row ahead of Delhi Assembly polls to be held on 5 February. EC has asked him to file a more specific & pointed reply by Friday.
As part of Chhath Puja preparations, Delhi Jal Board has been sprinkling anti-foam chemicals in Yamuna. This measure, however, has no effect on river pollution levels.
SC had directed Himachal Pradesh to release 137 cusecs of surplus water, asking Haryana to facilitate onward flow to Delhi. Himachal said that the water was already flowing uninterruptedly.
Hundreds of vehicles submerged in Noida, which adjoins southeast Delhi, after the Hindon river overflowed. People living near its banks have moved to higher ground.
With construction of barrages & houses along Yamuna's basin having decreased width of the river & size of floodplains, the monsoonal river's no longer equipped to handle seasonal flooding.
The collusion between the new class of bureaucrats, politicians, businessmen and trade union bosses perpetuates itself partly because of the short-run benefits and partly because they see no way out of the system, wrote author MH Mody in 1980.
IAF is firming up plans to revamp airlift capabilities with medium transport aircraft that will be assembled in India & serve as its main workhorse. Embraer is leading contender as of now.
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