In a decisive move to rejuvenate the polluted Yamuna river, the Central Government has issued strict directions to the Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments to divert fresh water into the river. During a recent high-level meeting regarding the Yamuna’s rejuvenation, officials from the Ministry of Jal Shakti mandated the release of water from the Munak and Upper Ganga canals to boost the river’s ‘environmental flow’ (E-flow).
Key Directives & Water Diversion Plans
The Centre outlined three major projects to ensure the ecological balance of the river:
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Upper Ganga Canal (UP): The plan directs the diversion of nearly 800 cusecs of water from the Upper Ganga Canal in Uttar Pradesh directly to the Wazirabad barrage.
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Munak Canal (Haryana): An additional 100 cusecs of water is to be added directly into the river from the Munak Canal in Haryana.
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Third Stream Construction: A proposal was discussed to construct a third stream of water from the Hathnikind barrage. This stream is intended to help reduce the accumulation of silt and waste in the riverbed.
Audit & Monitoring Mechanisms
To ensure compliance and address pollution sources, the meeting established new monitoring protocols:
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Drain Audit: A third-party company will be hired to conduct a comprehensive audit of all drains in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi that outfall into the Yamuna.
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STP Quality Check: The Jal Shakti Ministry is engaging an external agency to assess the real quality of treated water being discharged from Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) across the three states, ensuring data accuracy beyond state claims.
Directives Issued
To expedite the cleaning process, the Centre has laid down the following mandates:
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Immediate E-flow Boost: The diversion of 900 cusecs (800 from Ganga + 100 from Munak) must be prioritized to dilute pollution levels.
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Industrial Effluent Control: Strict measures to trap drains and curb industrial waste from entering the river.
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2026 Deadline: A strict deadline of 2026 has been set for Haryana to regulate the outfall of all its drains to meet acceptable environmental norms.
Current Status
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Implementation: The process to hire third-party auditors for drain and STP inspections has commenced under the Yamuna Rejuvenation Plan.
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Coordination: Officials from the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the respective state departments are coordinating the technical feasibility of the new water channels.
