Amit Shah sets 2028 target to expand STP capacity to 1,500 MGD for Yamuna cleanup

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday directed expansion of Delhi’s Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) capacity to 1,500 million gallons per day (MGD) by 2028 while chairing a high-level review meeting on Yamuna rejuvenation in New Delhi.

To ensure high cleaning standards, he stressed the need for close monitoring of STP discharge, including regular third-party quality checks.“There should be regularity and transparency in testing the water flowing out of STPs,” Shah said, adding, “third-party testing of outflow quality is essential.”

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Stating that apart from Delhi, chemicals from other states also pollute the river body, Shah urged the governments of Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to step up efforts for the river’s restoration and take steps to stop the increasing pollution from industrial units.

Speaking at the meeting, Shah stressed the need for drone surveys of two main drains of Delhi — Najafgarh and Shahdara — that handle the bulk of national capital sewage in an effort to improve the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of the river body. The minister said in addition to raking up the cleaning efforts, there is a need to boost the budget of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

Shah also informed the meeting participants about the ongoing talks with the Uttar Pradesh government to enhance the e-flow, or environmental flow, of Yamuna, the minimum flow of water that is needed to sustain the ecological health of a river. According to the official document, the minister also stated that the treated water of Okhla STP should be released downstream of Yamuna, which will help in improving the quality of the river water.

Shah also instructed the officials to conduct a detailed survey to ascertain Delhi’s water demands and directed Delhi Jal Board to build an action plan to curb the unchecked water extraction through borewells in the national capital, urging their phased manner of organisation.