In a recent meeting on the rejuvenation of the Yamuna, the Centre directed Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to increase environmental flows, trap drains, and control industrial effluents entering the river.

“Three projects to boost the environmental flow in the upstream of the Yamuna were discussed,” a senior government official said. One project plans to divert nearly 800 cusecs of water from the Upper Ganga Canal in Uttar Pradesh to the Wazirabad barrage to maintain the river’s ecological balance. Another aims to add 100 cusecs from Haryana’s Munak Canal, while a third proposes constructing an additional channel from Hathnikund barrage to reduce silt and waste accumulation. The government is also focusing on improving wastewater quality from sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the three states, hiring a third-party audit to assess output.

Delhi’s Sewerage Improvement Scheme will enhance treatment capacity, while Haryana must regulate drains by 2026 and set up more common effluent treatment plants to curb industrial pollution. “After the upgrade work, the STPs will be able to discharge treated water as per the standards set by the government and increase the treatment capacity also,”a governemnt official said.