Yamuna floodplains: NGT pulls up northern states, seeks action plan on cleaning the river before 4 September

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed some northern states to submit an action plan on rejuvenation and restoration of the stretch of river Yamuna falling beyond the national capital. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to file a complete report in this regard. “We direct that all the concerned state governments shall file action plan without default by 4  September in terms of our order in relation to the stretch of river Yamuna beyond NCT, Delhi upto Allahabad Sangam. The NCT, Delhi and Delhi Jal Board shall file complete action plan with regard to the Phase-II stretch, falling in NCT Delhi. “The States of Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh will file complete and comprehensive report in terms of the order…,” the bench said. [caption id=“attachment_3994019” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] The tribunal also directed the AAP government and Delhi Jal Board to submit an affidavit on the progress of the Phase-I of the Yamuna cleaning project. While the Phase-I of Yamuna cleaning project aims to bring down pollution levels in the Najafgarh and Delhi Gate drains, Phase-II deals with Shahdara, Barapullah and other drains. The matter was fixed for hearing on 15 September. The green panel had earlier said that pollution in the Yamuna was of serious concern as it was highly contaminated by industrial effluents and sewage. It had also asked Haryana and Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board to jointly conduct a study of water quality and the flow of Yamuna at the point where it enters Haryana and submit the list of industries located on the catchment area of the river. The tribunal had earlier banned open defecation and dumping of waste on the floodplains of the Yamuna and announced an environment compensation of Rs 5,000 for those who violated the order. It had also constituted a committee headed by the Delhi Jal Board CEO to oversee the execution of work pertaining to the cleaning of the river and asked it to submit reports at regular intervals. The green panel had noted that almost 67 per cent of the pollution reaching the Yamuna would be treated by the two sewage treatment plants (STP) located at Delhi Gate and Najafgarh under the first phase of the ‘Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project 2017’. The NGT was hearing a plea on the monitoring of implementation of the ‘Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project 2017’.