In news
In a recent report to the Tribunal, the two-member committee formed by the NGT referred to the delays in the Yamuna Action Plan-III projects
About the Yamuna Action Plan
- It is a bilateral project between the Government of India and Japan, introduced in 1993. It is one of the largest river restoration projects in India.
- YAP was entrusted under the National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD) in Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
- Along with NRCD other Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) were Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam (UPJN), the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) in Haryana, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in Delhi.
- TheJapan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), has provided financial aid of ¥17.7 billion to carry out the project, which is being executed by the National River Conservation Directorate, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and the Government of India.
Phases of Yamuna Action Plan
Yamuna Action Plan Phase I:
- Phase I, which began in 1993, marked its end in 2003, even though it was expected to be completed by 2000.
Yamuna Action Plan Phase II:
- Phase II began in 2003, is regarded as the core project under the National River Conservation Plan of the Government of India.
- YAP-II was extended in 2003 to cover Uttar Pradesh and Haryana along with Delhi.
- The project addresses the abatement of severe pollution of the River Yamuna by raising sewage treatment capacity, caused by rapid population growth, industrialization and urbanization in the towns of the river basin, which includes Delhi, the capital of India.
- Building new and expanding capacity of old sewage treatment plants and laying and rehabilitating sewers was done to enhance the treatment capacity particularly in Delhi and Agra.
Yamuna Action Plan Phase III
- The YAP Phase III project for Delhi was approved by the ministry at an estimated cost of Rs 1,656 crore
- It includes setting up sewage treatment plants at Rithala, Kondli and Okhla, and developing the Coronation Pillar STP, which accounts for a treatment capacity of 279 million gallons per day (MGD) or “30% of the total sewage generated in Delhi.
- The project has got integrated as a component of Namami Gange Mission. Delhi Jal Board is the executing agency for all the projects.