29 Aug : The Government has constituted a High Powered Committee for Yamuna River Development to be chaired by Lt. Governor, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. The terms and references of this includes study on different aspects of the development of the river, viz. hydrology, ecology, environmental pollution, sustainable use of the river front, etc. to feed into the policy framework, develop a policy framework and prepare an Integrated Plan addressing issues of both quantity in terms of river flow and quality in the Yamuna River etc. This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Urban Development, Shri Saugata Roy in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
The Minister said that Delhi Jal Board has also prepared a scheme for laying interceptor sewers along the three major drains. The interceptor sewer concept had four broad features, namely, laying of interceptor sewers along three major drains, augmentation of existing capacity of sewerage treatment plants, intercepting of 13 small drains and construction of additional sewerage treatment plants. The concept was submitted to the Supreme Court and Supreme Court on 31.3.2007 directed constitution of an Expert Committee. As recommended by the Expert Committee, the project for laying interceptor sewers has been approved under Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission for the abatement of pollution of river Yamuna at an estimated cost of Rs. 1357.71 crore.
