Sirsa Directs DPCC To Submit 10-Day Action Plan To Tackle Untreated Sewage Dumping Into Yamuna
14 May 2025 3:19 PM
According to officials, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) was slapped with an environmental compensation of Rs 18.54 crore for failing to prevent illegal discharge from the unauthorised colonies and JJ clusters.
A general view shows the Signature Bridge over the Yamuna River on a smoggy winter morning in New Delhi on December 20, 2024. (File Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)
New Delhi: The Delhi Pollution Control Board has been directed to submit a detailed action plan within 10 days on the continued discharge of untreated sewage into the city's drains and, ultimately, into the Yamuna River.
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa told PTI that he has directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to complete a full-scale investigation within seven days and submit a 10-day action plan, clearly outlining department responsibilities, timelines, and measures to stop illegal discharge of sewage into the city's drains.
According to officials, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) was slapped with an environmental compensation of Rs 18.54 crore for failing to prevent illegal discharge from the unauthorised colonies and JJ clusters.
Sirsa said the DPCC submitted a report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), confirming that untreated sewage from 58 JJ clusters -- amounting to 2.04 MGD (9.274 MLD) -- continues to flow directly into the drains leading to the Yamuna.
Despite earlier warnings and a penalty imposed in February 2025, the situation on the ground remains unchanged.
Calling it a direct result of governance failure under the previous administration, Sirsa said, "It is shocking and unacceptable that despite court intervention, regulations, and a Rs 18 crore fine, illegal dumping of septage into the Yamuna is still taking place."
He also alleged that the former chief minister's office, which directly oversaw the DJB, remained indifferent to the crisis.
Former chief minister Atishi held multiple portfolios, including water, finance and education, but failed to take any corrective action, he alleged.
"The root of this crisis lay in the complete apathy of the previous government. Their silence and inaction show how little they cared about Delhi's environment or its people," the minister said.
Sirsa also confirmed discussions with Water and PWD Minister Pravesh Verma, who is taking parallel steps to address the crisis.
"Under his (Verma's) leadership and with support from the Centre, we are confident that visible changes will be seen on the ground soon," Sirsa said.
The crackdown falls under the broader umbrella of Mission Yamuna Cleanup, with the government aiming to fix the long-standing failures and restore the river through coordinated action and strict accountability, he added.
( Source : PTI )
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