Reviving the Yamuna: Delhi Gets Rs 3,000 Crore Boost for Sewage Treatment

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB), facing financial challenges, has secured over Rs 3,000 crore to construct 27 decentralised sewage treatment plants (DSTPs) to clean the Yamuna river. This funding, approved by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, marks a significant step in the city's water management and river revitalization efforts.

In a noteworthy advance in the cleanup of the Yamuna river, the financially strained Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has secured a substantial financial lifeline. The Expenditure and Finance Committee, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, has green-lit a Rs 3,000 crore budget to establish 27 decentralised sewage treatment plants (DSTPs) across the capital.

The ambitious plan to construct 40 DSTPs initiated in 2023 had faltered due to funding bottlenecks. "This is the first major financial push we have received," a DJB official confirmed to PTI. Construction efforts have commenced, particularly in JJ clusters and unauthorised colonies like Rangpuri and Dera Mandi, where large-scale infrastructure is less feasible.

This initiative aims to tackle Delhi's 792 MGD sewage output, as the current facilities can only process 610 MGD, leaving untreated waste to contaminate the Yamuna. However, experts like water activist Varun Gulati emphasize enhancing existing plants' efficiencies instead of only focusing on new DSTPs. The newly sanctioned 10 MGD plant at Delhi Gate is pivotal for the Walled City.

(With inputs from agencies.)