L-G reviews Delhi’s Summer Action Plan

NEW DELHI: Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, V.K. Saxena, chaired an important meeting on Tuesday with senior officials from various departments, including the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), to review the city’s Summer Action Plan. The meeting, held at the L-G Secretariat, aimed to ensure that Delhiites would have uninterrupted water supply during the approaching summer months.

A significant part of the discussion centered on addressing potential water shortages in the city as temperatures rise. The Lieutenant Governor highlighted the necessity of engaging with Haryana to secure a reliable water supply from May to June. This step is considered crucial to avoid any disruptions in water availability, especially as the demand peaks during the hotter months.

The meeting also covered progress on the critical task of cleaning the Yamuna River, a long-standing issue for the city. The L-G emphasised the adoption of a ‘four-pronged strategy’ to reduce pollution in the river. This strategy begins with the removal of trash, garbage, and silt from the river’s flow. Simultaneously, cleaning operations will be initiated in the Najafgarh Drain, Supplementary Drain, and other major drains that contribute to the pollution in the Yamuna.

In addition to river cleanup efforts, the meeting addressed the vital issue of wastewater management.

The L-G directed that a daily watch be maintained on the functioning of existing Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), ensuring that they operate at full capacity. To further improve the system, a detailed plan for constructing new STPs and decentralized STPs (DSTPs) to treat an additional 400 million gallons per day of sewage was outlined. These measures aim to bridge the current treatment shortfall and improve overall wastewater management in the city.

The Lieutenant Governor has set an ambitious timeline for the Yamuna cleanup, with a target of three years for achieving significant progress. He stressed the importance of seamless coordination among various agencies, including the DJB, the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Environment Department, the Public Works Department (PWD), and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

The L-G has mandated weekly progress reviews, with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee overseeing the cleanup. This renewed focus follows a February 16 directive, using trash skimmers, weed harvesters, and dredge vehicles to speed up the cleanup and improve the Yamuna.