New Delhi: The BJP-led Delhi government has launched an aggressive cleanup operation of the Yamuna River, removing 1,300 tonnes of garbage in just 10 days, according to Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Verma. The minister personally inspected the river by boat on Wednesday and assured that the government is committed to restoring the Yamuna, which had been neglected for years under the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration.
Verma, who recently took charge of the Public Works Department (PWD), Water, Legislative Affairs, Irrigation, and Flood Control, held a meeting with officials to assess the cleanup drive. He criticised the previous AAP government for failing to take any concrete steps to clean the Yamuna, stating, “Not even on paper did the AAP government attempt to clean the river. It never even occurred to them to work on the Yamuna’s restoration. Now, the central government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, is directly involved in the effort.”
माँ यमुना जी की स्वच्छता के लिए संकल्पबद्ध डबल इंजन की भाजपा सरकार!
आज बोट क्लब से सिग्नेचर ब्रिज और आईटीओ छठ घाट तक अधिकारियों के साथ माँ यमुना जी की सफाई अभियान का निरीक्षण किया।
भाजपा की डबल इंजन सरकार यमुना जी की सफाई के लिए ठोस रोडमैप और Action Plan के साथ ज़मीन पर काम कर… pic.twitter.com/wosrs275c4
— Parvesh Sahib Singh (@p_sahibsingh) March 5, 2025
In the past, former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal had stated that he will clean the Yamuna and if he failed to do so then the people of Delhi should not vote for him. In the recently concluded Delhi Assembly Elections, AAP was voted out of power.
Meanwhile, the BJP government devised a comprehensive action plan to prevent further pollution and ensure the long-term sustainability of the Yamuna cleanup project. Minister Verma announced that all drains in Delhi will be connected to sewage treatment plants (STPs) and their capacity will be expanded to prevent untreated wastewater from flowing into the river.
“Our biggest commitment is to completely clean and restore the Yamuna. Complaints related to sewage treatment will be promptly addressed, and all STPs are expected to be installed within two years,” Verma said. He emphasized that the current administration is taking unprecedented steps that the AAP government failed to implement during its decade-long rule.
Industrial Waste Management and Flood Prevention
To tackle industrial waste, Verma announced that common treatment plants would be installed in all industrial areas to ensure proper disposal of chemical waste. Under the AAP regime, industries continued to dump hazardous waste into the Yamuna with little to no regulation, further deteriorating its condition.
Moreover, efforts are being made to repair and increase the height of security walls at the ITO Barrage gates to prevent flooding. Verma recalled the devastating 2023 flood in Delhi, blaming the previous government for failing to maintain the floodgates. “Previously, all the floodgates were closed and inoperative. Now, they have been repaired and raised to prevent future flooding,” he stated.
In a bid to rejuvenate the riverbanks, the Delhi government has instructed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to develop the Yamuna Riverfront into a cultural and tourism hub. The initiative aims to not only restore the river but also create a green zone for recreational activities.
Verma criticised the AAP government for its inefficiency, saying, “For ten years, AAP prioritised political gimmicks over governance. They wasted public money on advertisements while Yamuna continued to choke under filth. In contrast, the BJP is delivering real results in record time.”
Verma highlighted that unlike before, the PMO is now directly overseeing the cleanup mission, ensuring accountability and efficiency. This move, he said, signifies the BJP’s commitment to delivering on its promises and addressing issues that the AAP government ignored.
