Submit bimonthly report on Yamuna cleaning: NGT to DJB

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Delhi Jal Board to submit report on the progress of work for cleaning Yamuna river every two months.

NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar's directions were in regards to the Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project, 2017.

The CEO of DJB had on July 10 presented the progress report about the phase-II of the project to the principle committee.

The green court directed the principal committee to examine the report within three weeks and give its report to the tribunal.

In 2015, the NGT had asked the Board to set up sewage treatment plants (STPs) by 2017.

The tribunal reminded DJB that there would not be any change in this order and construction of the 14 STPs to treat sewage coming from the Najafgarh drain, should be completed as planned. The tribunal also observed that if DJB fails to do so, it will be penalised.

However, the project is yet to start as the central and Delhi government are undecided as to who will fund the project.

On Tuesday, the Development Authority had informed NGT that it had sanctioned Rs 37 crore from its share of Rs 300 crore to the Delhi government. The DJB further told the tribunal that it has received the necessary amount from all stakeholders.

The tribunal also directed representatives of the governments of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to conduct their respective surveys and check all pollution sources that are discharging into their stretches of the Yamuna.

It also directed them to file project reports on the cleaning of their stretches. The case will be heard again on September 15.