L-G VK Saxena chairs meet on cleaning up Najafgarh Lake on Delhi-Haryana border

New Delhi [India], March 22 : Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Wednesday chaired a meeting to devise ways for the revival of the Najafgarh Lake on the Delhi-Haryana Border, which is pivotal to the overall cleng of River Yamuna in the national capital, stated an official release on Wednesday.

Further, as per the release, the major sources of pollution in the Najafgarh Lake, including the huge quantity of domestic and industrial effluent coming from Gurugram and the possible ways to overcome the pollution in the lake and preserve the aquatic life, were discussed threadbare in the meeting that coincided with the World Water Day.

"Revival of the Najafgarh Lake is a part of the Yamuna cleng operations being carried out under the supervision of the LG, as per the directions of the National Green Tribunal, dated 09.01.2023. Notably, the sustained efforts to clean Najafgarh Drain have already started showing results with noticeable improvement in the water quality at Wazirabad. Similarly, the Yamuna cleng operations at Qudasia Ghat too has resulted in the improvement of water quality. As part of the Yamuna floodplain redevelopment, two aesthetically revamped green spaces at Asita East and Baansera near Sarai Kale Khan have been developed while the restoration and rejuvenation of 11 km of the floodplain from Shastri Park to Garhi Mandu were launched on Tuesday," it read.

During the meeting, the L-G stressed the need for urgent action to prevent the discharge of nearly 110 MGD of domestic and industrial waste into Najafgarh Lake.

Calling for seamless inter-state coordination between Delhi and Haryana to address this issue, the L-G asked the Gurugram administration to ensure that only treated effluent is discharged into the Lake. Gurugram officials informed the L-G that the work on 100 per cent sewage treatment will be completed by January 2024.

The officials informed the L-G that a major portion of the wetland fell in the jurisdiction of Haryana while the wetland in the Delhi region was largely scattered. A plan was accordingly drawn up to revive the Najafgarh Lake as a cluster of small water bodies instead of one big wetland, primarily because of land availability constraints.

The L-G also directed the officials to chalk out short-term as well as long-term strategies to revive the Najafgarh Lake.

"Completing the cleng and de-silting of Najafgarh Drain up to Dhansa Regulator by 30 June 2023. Removing Hyacinth from the Najafgarh Lake by Delhi as well as Haryana. Use of floating booms at strategic locations in the Najafgarh Lake and Najafgarh Drain. De-silting of Najafgarh Lake by both governments in their respective areas of existing wetland. Trapping and treatment of sewage water being discharged into the Najafgarh Lake. Relocation of power sub-station and transmission infrastructure by Power Grid Corporation of India. Afforestation of the general area using native species of plants. A comprehensive and all-encompassing integrated biodiversity and ecological sustenance are to be created by both governments. Further expansion of wetland. Implementation of permitted, regulated, and prohibited activities, that mitigate or add to the pollution in the lake, with due diligence," the release read.

The meeting was attended by the principal secretary (Environment & Forest), GNCTD, CEO, Delhi Jal Board, principal secretary (I&FC), GNCTD, senior officials of DDA and key office-bearers from the local administration of Gurugram, among others.

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