NEW DELHI: Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Saturday visited a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and took stock of measures being taken to clean the Yamuna.
“There are around 35 STPs across Delhi working on eliminating pollutants from these water bodies through technologically advanced mechanisms. These plants are working on purifying untreated water, generating gases that run these sewage plants, and extracting waste from the water which can be made into compost for agricultural use. Our focus is solely on eliminating water pollution,” Rai told the media after the visit at Delhi Gate.
Sewage treatment of Najafgarh and Shahdara drains — which contribute about 60 per cent of the total pollution load being discharged into the Yamuna — is under process. The Interceptor Sewer Project (ISP) is being implemented in six packages under which wastewater flowing in these drains will be trapped and diverted to STPs for treatment. The project is likely to be completed by March 31.
Rai said he held interaction with the DJB to ensure that the waste water treated under ISP meet the standards set for them. This, he asserted, will help in ensuring quality of water treatment mechanisms across Delhi in the long run.
“Our primary focus is on cleaning the Yamuna and eliminating waste from water bodies so that effluents are removed before the waste water flows into the river. We will then work on developing riverfront of the Yamuna,” he said.