13 sub-drains of Najafgarh Drain trapped, 3.03 km of sewer de-silted: Yamuna panel tells Delhi LG

New Delhi [India], February 15 : In order to clean and rejuvenate Yamuna, 13 sub-drains of Najafgarh Drain have been completely trapped and 3.03 km of the trunk and peripheral sewer de-silted within one month of the initiative, the official said on Wednesday.
"Since January 29, 2023, when the first meeting of the NGT-constituted high-level committee for Yamuna rejuvenation, headed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena took place, 13 sub-drains of Najafgarh Drain have been completely trapped and 3.03 km of the trunk and peripheral sewer lines have been completely de-silted," the official statement from the LG office said.
The NGT-constituted high-level committee for Yamuna rejuvenation was held on Tuesday and was chaired by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
An intensive cleaning operation on the Yamuna Floodplains will be launched on Thursday by Saxena wherein eminent personalities and people from all walks of life will participate to clean Yamuna.
"The LG, on this occasion, would for the first time draft the territorial army in the Yamuna Cleaning Operations," the statement said.
The 94-member company of the Territorial Army will be ensuring ground-level enforcement and monitoring of all untrapped drains and sub-drains that pollute the Yamuna.
However, in the second HLC meeting, the LG reviewed the progress of works and the Action Taken Report (ATR) with regard to the trapping of drains, de-silting of sewers, the status of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs), redevelopment of Yamuna Floodplains and penal action against water polluting industries for violation, among others.
Further, inspections were conducted at 88 water-polluting units after the 1st HLC meeting and the water and power connections of 12 polluting units were disconnected and a penalty of Rs 53 lakh was imposed. During the meeting, 'before and after' videos of the work done were shown to the LG.
The officials informed the LG that so far 17 km stretch of Najafgarh Drain has been cleaned and 1.2 lakh CuM of silt has been removed.
"In the meeting, the LG was informed that under the Interceptor Sewer Projects (ISP), 76 untrapped sub-drains - 44 sub-drains of Najafgarh Drain, 02 falling into Shahdara Drain and 30 sub-drains of Supplementary Drains - will be completely trapped by September 2023 and out of the 76 sub-drains, 52 will be completely trapped by June 2023," it further said.
Regarding the progress of the tasks related to trapping of drains, de-silting of sewer lines, creating sewer network in unauthorized residential colonies and drainage system in JJ clusters, the LG was informed that all major and sub drains would be trapped in the next 6 months, i.e. by September 2023.
"To this, Saxena told the concerned agencies to strictly adhere to the committed timelines and warned against any laxity in executing these projects," the statement said, adding that all agencies were also asked to make concerted efforts so as to bring about a drastic change in the water quality of Yamuna in the next six months.
During the meeting, the LG asked the drain-owning agencies - PWD, MCD, DDA, DJB, DSIIDC, etc. - to physically inspect and submit within 15 days a report on all illegal sub-drains that are not in the official records of the agencies but are falling into the main drains.
It may be noted that the NGT, in its order of January 9, 2023, had constituted a 'High Level Committee' to oversee the implementation of its orders with regards to cleaning the Yamuna and requested the Delhi LG VK Saxena to head the committee.