The Delhi Jal Board is taking steps to clean the Yamuna River by building a wastewater treatment plant near Delhi Gate. This plant will treat all sewage from the Old Delhi area, with the goal of reducing pollution in the Yamuna. Vice Chairman Somnath Bharti recently inspected the Delhi Gate WWTP project and found that the treated wastewater meets the required standards. So far, 13 locations have been connected to wastewater treatment plants, and the remaining five locations will be connected by June 2024. The government aims to clean the Yamuna by 2025, as promised to the residents.
The Delhi Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), built in 2015, has a capacity of 15-MGD. The plant’s treated wastewater meets the prescribed standards, which contributes to the clean Yamuna initiative. The Delhi Gate WWTP is important for a clean Yamuna and also produces electricity from an energy gas plant that accounts for one-third of the plant’s total electricity consumption. The treated wastewater is used for washing buses and cleaning roads. The Delhi Jal Board plans to construct a new 10 MGD wastewater treatment plant to treat sewage from Old Delhi, including areas like Chandni Chowk, Darya Ganj, Matia Mahal, Shanti Van area, and Paharganj. This plant is expected to be completed within a year, ensuring that all sewage from Old Delhi is treated.
Bharti also mentioned that water from drains in Delhi flows into the Yamuna at 18 locations. The Delhi Jal Board has already addressed 13 of these locations, ensuring that sewage is treated before being released into the Yamuna. Only treated wastewater is now being pumped into the river, which has led to a decrease in pollution levels. The remaining five locations will also be treated in the wastewater treatment plant before discharge. The project has a deadline of June 2024, and the Delhi Government aims to clean the Yamuna by 2025, allowing residents to fulfill their wish of taking a dip in the river.
