Posted on March 31, 2025
Budget repeats previous measures but fails to introduce new approaches, say experts
NEW DELHI: Despite the government announcing several key initiatives aimed at rejuvenating the Yamuna River in the latest budget, experts have expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the proposals. Chief among the concerns are the absence of any deadlines for the projects and the lack of vision regarding the alternative usage of sewage water.
Tuesday’s budget outlined the setting up of 40 decentralised STPs at a cost of `500 crore. These plants will treat wastewater before it enters the main drainage system, reducing pollution levels in the Yamuna. Additionally, `250 crore has been allocated for a drain-tapping project that will divert and treat wastewater from major drains, ensuring that untreated sewage does not flow directly into the river.
The Najafgarh drain, one of the biggest contributors to Yamuna pollution, will undergo significant transformation, with `200 crore set aside for its conversion and interception. To further support river-cleaning efforts, `40 crore will be used to procure advanced machinery, including trash skimmers, weed harvesters, and dredging equipment.
According to Bhim Singh Rawat, Associate Coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), the budget repeats previous measures to clean the Yamuna but fails to introduce new approaches. Rawat pointed out that while the budget allocates increasing funds for sewage treatment plants (STPs), drain diversion, and sewer line expansion; these measures have not improved the river’s pollution levels. “Despite repeated failures, no accountability has been fixed, and river governance remains ignored,” he said.
He emphasised that river cleaning requires coordinated efforts across multiple areas, including sewage and industrial waste management, stormwater and sewage separation, wetland protection, groundwater conservation, and better use of treated sewage. However, the budget does not propose an urban water policy to streamline these efforts.
Rawat also criticised the lack of clear deadlines for achieving Yamuna-cleaning targets. He suggested prioritizing the reuse of treated sewage instead of discharging it into the river. Additionally, the budget overlooks citizen participation by ignoring proposals for District Yamuna committees, a clean Yamuna fund, and a monitoring portal for encroachments and waste dumping. He urged the government to treat the Yamuna as a living ecosystem and address pollution sources upstream of the Wazirabad barrage, which threaten water quality and river health.
