NEW DELHI: Dissatisfied with the growth in the revival of Yamuna, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a high-level committee, which will meet every week and take stock of the situation. It ordered the committee to give its first report by January 31.The committee, which will be headed by lieutenant governor VK Saxena, will have Delhi’s chief secretary as its convener. It has been asked to make goals to substantially improve the quality of the river by July this year. After merging several petitions, the tribunal said that Yamuna was still polluted, perhaps due to the involvement of multiple agencies that individually act to clean the river. It asked the committee to refer to work done so far, data, and older directions by now dissolved Yamuna monitoring committee (YMC) and make an updated plan and do what’s best to clean the river, saying its success must reflect through the measurable and identifiable reduction in the pollution load.”We constitute a high-level committee of the authorities concerned in Delhi where pollution of Yamuna is higher (about 75%), compared to other river basin states,” stated the bench headed by NGT chairperson justice Adarsh Kumar Goel.The committee will include of senior officials from irrigation, forest and environment, agriculture, finance, Delhi Jal Board, and the Delhi Development Authority, the order said.The tribunal asserted that it was “shocked” to see the data related to the water quality of the river, and that seal drains are yet to be tapped and treated even after a year since its last order to clean up the river. “This shows utter lack of adequate action and monitoring by higher authorities,” it said.”There appears to be a lack of ownership and accountability. A huge amount has already been spent without desired results. Judicial oversight has continued for almost 29 years. DDA has to take measures for protecting flood plain zones while drain owning agencies – DJB, Irrigation Department, Municipal Corporation, etc – have to maintain drains free from pollution,” the tribunal further observed.In 2017, the matter of pollution in the Yamuna was transferred to NGT. Earlier, the judgement of a similar petition was given by NGT with a roadmap in 2015.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/ngt-sets-up-panel-under-delhi-lg-vk-saxena-says-speed-up-yamuna-revival/articleshow/96866001.cms