Delhi Congress chief hits out at govt citing DPCC report on Yamuna pollution
Referring to the July pollution report by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Yadav said that pollution levels in the Yamuna have worsened since March.
This, he said, clearly exposes the BJP's hollow promises on cleaning the river. He alleged that the government has only made tall claims about cleaning the Yamuna after assuming power in Delhi but has taken no concrete action. Instead, it has misled the public by performing symbolic rituals like Yamuna Aarti.
'BJP's poll promise of giving top priority to cleaning the Yamuna has completely fallen apart after the DPCC report. As per clean water standards, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) should be 3 mg/litre or less, dissolved oxygen should be 5 mg/litre or more, and fecal coliform (indicating excreta/organic pollution) should be 500 MPN per 100 ml. Water becomes unusable when it reaches 2,500 MPN,' Yadav said.
He added that although the Delhi government allocated `9,000 crore for cleaning the Yamuna and sewage treatment, no visible work has been done in the last six months. No new sewage treatment plants have been built, nor have faulty ones been repaired.
'BJP-ruled states —Delhi, Haryana and UP— are coming together to formulate an action plan to clean the polluted Yamuna, but first the Gupta government should clean the 22 km stretch of the Yamuna running through Delhi, which is the most polluted, while the construction of 12 proposed decentralised STPs is still hanging in suspense,' Yadav said. He questioned how the government plans to operate a cruise boat in the Yamuna by December when the river remains highly polluted.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
2 new OISF battalions to help strengthen industrial security
Bhubaneswar: Govt has decided to create of two additional Odisha Industrial Security Force (OISF) battalions to strengthen security for industrial establishments across the state. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The decision follows the BJP govt's increased focus on developing port-based industries in Paradip, Dhamara, Astaranga and Gopalpur, leading to new industrial clusters. The expansion, adding to the existing two battalions, will require the recruitment of 1,944 personnel. This move aims to enhance security infrastructure alongside industrial growth in the state, officials said. Each new battalion will have 675 constables, 128 havildars, 63 assistant sub-inspectors, 27 sub-inspectors and 12 inspectors. They will have one commander and three deputy and four assistant commanders each, besides clerical and other support staff. "These two battalions will be known as the third and fourth battalions," a notification from the home department read. It further stated that the expenditure on account of hiring cost of vehicles shall be charged from borrowing organisations. For both the battalions, armourer staff, communication and stenographers will be included. "The newly created posts will be filled up in a transparent manner following recruitment rules and provisions of the Odisha Reservation of Vacancies (ORV) Act," the notification read. Paradip port, one of India's major ports on the east coast, which handled 145.38 million metric tonnes of cargo last fiscal, has immense potential for growth, and security could be a huge challenge. With three operational deep-draught ports — Paradip, Dhamra, and Gopalpur — and ambitious expansion plans, the govt is leveraging its 480 km coastline to integrate industrial growth with urban development. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Odisha has more than 50 steel plants now producing 33 million tonnes annually, making it the leading steel-producing state in the country. Odisha produces more than 50% of the country's annual aluminium output of 4.1 million tonnes. "Industrial security is an emerging challenge now, and the state can't afford to earn a bad name by lagging behind in terms of robust and modern security," said a senior police officer.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Delayed clearing of drains could be behind gridlock
New Delhi: An intense spell of rain lashed the capital on Wednesday morning, triggering waterlogging on key roads. While some places held up — notably the flood-prone Minto Bridge near Connaught Place — several others were submerged, raising questions about monsoon preparedness. PWD sources reported water accumulation near Prahladpur, Laxmi Nagar, Mundka, Anand Parbat, Moti Nagar, and Loni Road. Social media videos filled in the gaps from other places. In one, former CM Atishi shared visuals of knee-deep water at the Municipal Girls' School in Tikri Kalan, captioning them: "BJP's four-engine govt should be ashamed. Water has entered up to knee level in the Nagar Nigam Girls' School in Tikri Kalan, but BJP doesn't care. " However, an MCD official argued that water collected inside the school because of the lack of drainage on the road and PWD carrying out infrastructure work there. "We have made a temporary slope with soil stacks to ensure water won't get inside the complex again. However, there is a desperate need for making permanent arrangements," the official added. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Other visuals showed a man swimming in a waterlogged stretch in Vinod Nagar, a woman boating in east Delhi\ and an AAP supporter rowing an inflatable tub — all underscoring localised failures in drainage. This comes despite official claims of having unclogged the stormwater drains. According to a July 9 progress report, 1,892km of Delhi's 2,158km of PWD-maintained drains were cleaned for an 88.5% completion rate, with 12,587 tonnes of silt removed. The final target date for completion of desilting was July 31. But zone-wise data reveals sharp disparities. The east zone reported 100% desilting, south zone was nearly done, and the north zone lagged—with 9 of 13 projects yet to reach even 90% completion on July 9. PWD officials on Wednesday claimed that overall completion was 93%, with pumps deployed in flood-prone areas to ensure smoother drainage. "Slip roads in certain parts are now being tackled. Zone-wise, west Delhi is where the gap still exists," said an official. With barely a week left before the desilting deadline, the big question remains: Will the remaining 7% make a difference or will some parts of the city continue to flounder every time it rains? As far as MCD drains are concerned, a recent claim by the corporation of clearing 1,70,620 tonnes of silt between Jan 1 and June 30, surpassing its target of 1,26,474 tonnes, still led to internal roads in the city reporting waterlogging on Wednesday. Residents in various localities in east Delhi, including Vinod Nagar, Pandav Nagar and Chander Nagar, complained about inundation on internal lanes. In south Delhi, Sangam Vihar, Badarpur, and Sainik Farms faced similar problems, while in central Delhi, Sadar Bazar and neighbouring areas reported water accumulation, albeit for a limited time. "In north Delhi's Kamla Nagar area, it didn't rain heavily on Wednesday, but on Monday and Tuesday, the lanes in the main market were flooded with rainwater," said Nitin Gupta, member, Kamla Nagar Traders' Association.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
BC Quota Ordinance: BJP hits out at Cong, flags legal loopholes and ‘political gimmickry'
1 2 3 Hyderabad: The Congress govt's push for 42% reservation for Backward Classes is drawing sharp criticism from the BJP, which is accusing the ruling party of bypassing due legislative process and indulging in political theatrics. While the Congress aims to elevate the BC quota issue into a nationwide campaign, BJP leaders are cautioning that the move could trigger significant legal challenges, particularly as the proposal threatens to breach the Supreme Court-mandated 50% cap on reservations. BJP state chief N Ramchander Rao has alleged that the Congress govt is intentionally avoiding a direct amendment to the Panchayat Raj Act in the current assembly session. Instead, it has chosen to route the proposal through an ordinance sent to the governor, a move Rao claims is a calculated attempt to dodge legislative scrutiny. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Anticipating that the Congress may try to blame the Centre for any obstacles in the implementation of reservations, the BJP has sharpened its position. "We are not opposed to the 42% BC reservation," Rao clarified, "but we strongly object to the inclusion of 10% political representation for Muslims under the BC quota. Any increased reservation must benefit only the BC communities." Within party circles, leaders have been asked to question the Congress's sincerity, especially as the ruling party continues to make lofty promises without addressing the legal complexities involved. "If they try to pin this on us, we will respond firmly. We supported the bill in the assembly, despite our reservations on Muslim inclusion," BJP leaders reiterated. As the reservation debate heats up, the BJP appears poised to frame the Congress's move as symbolic and legally untenable, while reaffirming its support for genuine, constitutionally valid BC representation, sources said. The BJP is now closely tracking the Congress govt's next steps and the governor's decision on the ordinance. Party sources have raised concerns over the lack of clarity in the ordinance, pointing out that it fails to mention specific reservation percentages. "If they were truly committed to this issue, they would have amended the Panchayat Raj Act directly through the assembly instead of taking a vague, roundabout route," a senior BJP source said.
