Abolish the committee to monitor cleaning of Yamuna: Delhi governmen

New Delhi, Dec 13 (UNI) The Delhi government has made a plea for abolishing the apex monitoring committee appointed by the Supreme Court to monitor the progress made in the cleaning of river Yamuna.

The government, in an affidavit stated that all issues relating to abatement of pollution in river Yamuna were being monitored by the Chief Secretary of Delhi on a priority basis and monitoring by the apex committee would lead to multiplicity of authority which would cause some degree of confusion in the implementation of strategies and schedules being followed by various departments as per the direction of the Chief Secretary.

The affidavit further says multiple monitoring of the project may tend to duplicate the work being done by the Chief Executive Officer, Delhi Jal Board and the Chief Secretary on a monthly and quartely basis respectively.

While the government of NCT of Delhi holds the apex committee and all its members in the highest esteem and would certainly wish to take note of various suggestions and inputs, however, the monitoring of the project by the apex committee may not be necessary and would place a heavy load on the implementing machinery, it said.

The apex monitoring committee has in its report said that more than Rs 2000 cr on the project by the government has gone down the drain and failed to produce any tangible result as the Yamuna continues to be as polluted as ever before.

According to Delhi government setting up of sewage treatment plants (STPs) in about 1500 unauthorised colonies to check the discharge of efflutence in Yamuna will be completed by 2008.

UNI AKS SC SY GC1742