The Hindu : Campaign to clear Yamuna `garbage dams'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 31, 2002

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Campaign to clear Yamuna `garbage dams'

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI MAY 20. In yet another effort intended at reviving the spirit of cooperation and partnership, the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, would lead the second phase of "Shramdaan'' aimed at creating awareness among the people to keep the Yamuna -- the lifeline of Delhi -- clean, healthy and alive.

The programme, which would be launched tomorrow morning at seven points simultaneously, would witness the participation of volunteers, student groups, school children, RWAs and of course the legislators and Councillors. The three-day campaign, the second during the past one year, would try to rope in people from all walks of life to lend a helping hand to revive the dying river which is full of garbage, plastics, waste and unhygienic polluting particulates. Although, nothing great is sought to achieved in terms of removal of dirt and garbage from the Yamuna banks or the main river, but the entire purpose of the exercise is to impress upon the people of Delhi to maintain a healthy and vibrant Yamuna which was beneficial for all.

Apart from removing garbage from the Yamuna, efforts would also be directed towards cleaning the historic ghats which over the period of time have fallen prey to piling garbage and increased silt in the river. In fact, the Shramdaan is only an expression of solitary and cooperation which the people of Delhi have to exhibit in this hour of crisis. Apart from the official machinery which would be deployed on the occasion, nearly 800 RWAs are expected to take part in the clean Yamuna campaign. In addition to this, Ministerial colleagues of the Chief Minister are expected to take up positions at all the seven places.

The Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, a keen proponent of clean and green Delhi, said only a collective effort will work in reviving the river which is full of filth and garbage. "Let us all contribute to restore the Yamuna to its original pristine glory. Future generations will gratefully remember this remarkable turn around made possible by the whole hearted efforts of the citizens of Delhi. Here is a chance for the citizens, corporate sector, institutions, NGOs, RWAs and voluntary agencies to come together and clean Yamuna,'' she asserted.

Ms. Dikshit said the Shramdaan would begin at 7 a.m. and continue till 9 a.m. On the West Yamuna Bank, work would be carried out at the Wazirabad Bridge, Majnu Ka Tila Gurudwara, Kudasia Ghat and ITO Bridge. On the East Yamuna Bank, it would take place at Garhi Mandu Pontoon Bridge, Opposition Bank Enclave, Geeta Colony Pontoon Bridge. The whole affair is being executed and coordinated by the Department of Environment of Delhi Government. All the Ministers accompanied by legislators, Councillors and representatives of various organisations would launch the whole effort. The idea is to create awareness among the people of Delhi not to dump plastics, garbage and other polluting agents in Yamuna as it contributed to the deterioration of the river condition.

On the issue of disposal of various polluting agents by the people living along the river banks, the Chief Minister said she was in the process of reviewing the entire policy of relocation of JJ clusters. At present, the Delhi Government pays around Rs. 10,000 per jhuggi to the land owning agency. It is now being explored if the same amount could be utilised for providing basic civic amenities and improving the already existing ones in such clusters. This would go a long way in improving the living condition in these slums and bring down the disposal of waste into the river substantially. "I have asked the Urban Development Minister, A.K. Walia, to look into the matter and explore the possibility of such an initiative. This would remove a lot of anomalies and the benefits would percolate down to the grassroot level,'' she remarked.

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