April 22, 2025 — Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma has declared a zero-tolerance policy for negligence in the ongoing efforts to clean the heavily polluted Yamuna River. In a meeting with managers of all Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) at the Delhi Secretariat, Verma emphasized that each plant’s responsibilities are clearly defined, and any lapses will face strict consequences.
“We will not tolerate negligence in cleaning the Yamuna,” Verma stated, as reported by PTI. The minister’s directive comes amid intensified efforts by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which recently received over ₹3,000 crore to construct 27 Decentralised Sewage Treatment Plants (DSTPs) across the city. These plants aim to address the 182 million gallons per day (MGD) of untreated sewage—out of Delhi’s 792 MGD total—that currently flows into the Yamuna, largely from unauthorized colonies and underserved areas.
The push to rejuvenate the Yamuna, a key promise of the BJP government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, has gained momentum with recent initiatives, including desilting drains, deploying trash skimmers, and upgrading existing STPs. Verma’s stern warning underscores the government’s commitment to meeting its ambitious three-year timeline for restoring the river, despite challenges like industrial waste and financial constraints faced by the DJB.