Amit Shah Reviews Yamuna Cleanup, Calls for Joint Action Plan

Shah noted that 129 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) have already been established across Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday chaired a high-level review meeting on the Yamuna rejuvenation project and stressed that cleaning the river is a commitment made under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the task cannot be handled through isolated efforts and requires a coordinated strategy involving Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and multiple central agencies.

The meeting was attended by Union Ministers Manohar Lal and C.R. Patil, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and senior officials from various departments. Shah emphasized that all stakeholders must work as a single team to restore the health of the Yamuna and deliver visible improvements within a defined timeframe. He said a unified action plan would be more effective than separate initiatives undertaken by different agencies.

Dairy Waste, Sewage and Drain Pollution Under Focus

One of the key decisions discussed during the meeting was the management of waste generated by dairies operating in Delhi. Shah announced that a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to prevent dairy waste from reaching the river. Under the proposed arrangement, waste collected from dairies and gaushalas will be transported directly to facilities where it can be converted into biogas and organic manure. The initiative is expected to reduce pollution while creating useful by-products from waste that would otherwise enter the river system.

The Home Minister also reviewed progress on the desilting of drains flowing into the Yamuna. Officials informed the meeting that 97 percent of the targeted 28.57 lakh metric tonnes of silt has already been removed. The remaining work is expected to be completed by June 15. Shah directed authorities to ensure that the extracted silt is used in manufacturing and construction-related activities so that it does not wash back into the river during the monsoon season.

More Treatment Plants Planned as Monitoring Intensifies

Shah noted that 129 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) have already been established across Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Another 59 STPs are expected to be completed by the end of 2027, expanding the region's capacity to treat wastewater before it enters the Yamuna. He directed officials to closely track the performance of treatment plants, industrial waste management systems and drain discharge points. According to him, the objective should be measurable environmental improvement rather than routine compliance.

The Home Minister also called for continuous monitoring of key water quality indicators such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in all drains and water channels connected to the river. Shah instructed departments to prepare detailed timelines for every component of the Yamuna rejuvenation programme and ensure long-term maintenance of completed projects. To maintain momentum, he ordered that the progress of the river restoration effort be reviewed every 20 days. He further stressed that Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh should work together to maintain a standard ecological flow in the Yamuna, describing it as an essential requirement for the river's long-term revival.