- Public Cooperation Crucial for Clean Yamuna River, Says District Magistrate
2023.06.16 (Vrindavan Today News) The District Magistrate Pulkit Khare held a dialogue with the people of Mathura on the issue of Yamuna Pollution on Friday at the Collectorate’s conference hall. In the open forum named ‘Yamuna Samvad’ the District Magistrate discussed the issue with the different Yamuna enthusiasts, activists, religious leaders and environmentalists.
The participants gave their suggestions to make Yamuna free of pollution be preventing the drains flowing into the river. They also advocated for the uninterrupted flow of the river in the Mathura District.
The District Magistrate Pulkit Khare emphasized the importance of cooperation and public participation in the purification efforts of the Yamuna. Khare called upon all residents of the district to step forward and contribute to the cleaning of the Yamuna. He stressed that uninterrupted flow in the river could only be achieved through collective efforts and cooperation.
The DM stated that the work of cleaning the Yamuna should begin together to restore its purity. The stretch of the Yamuna river in the Mathura-Vrindavan area under the Municipal Corporation covers about 16 kilometers, encompassing various religiously significant Ghats such as Swami Ghat, Bengali Ghat, Vishram Ghat, and Kesighat in Vrindavan.
During the ‘Yamuna Samvad’ program, participants shared their views on the cleanliness of the river, the need to address pollution, and the importance of maintaining an uninterrupted flow. People also put forth suggestions to improve the quality of sewage treatment plants. Responding to this, the District Magistrate assured that the functioning of all seven sewage treatment plants would be investigated.
Municipal Commissioner Anunaya Jha revealed that there are 36 drains in the Mathura-Vrindavan Municipal Corporation area, with 22 in Mathura and 14 in Vrindavan. Currently, 31 of these drains are being tapped. The District Magistrate highlighted the importance of assessing the quality of tapped drains and instructed the concerned officials to conduct regular checks. Additionally, BJP leader Yogendra Chaturvedi proposed the construction of a sewage treatment plant near Gokul, connected by a large pipe, to purify the drains of Mathura-Vrindavan. The District Magistrate directed Jal Nigam officials to prepare a proposal for this scheme, including an assessment of its feasibility by studying successful implementations in other districts.
The District Magistrate further instructed the officials of Jal Nigam, the Irrigation Department, and the Municipal Corporation to consistently remove silt and ensure cleanliness near the Ghats, thus promoting a healthy flow and a pristine appearance of the Yamuna.
To ensure the quality of the Yamuna water, the District Magistrate directed the Regional Office of the Pollution Control Board (RO-UPPCB) to conduct tests for BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) and other chemicals at three different locations: Kosikalan, Gokul, and Farah.
During the dialogue program, suggestions were put forth to enforce waste segregation among the shopkeepers along the Ghats and the Yamuna riverbanks. Proper waste disposal methods were also discussed. The District Magistrate stressed the need to raise public awareness and encourage the use of jute bags while completely discontinuing the use of polythene in the district.
Some individuals suggested naming crossroads and Ghats after the Yamuna. Encroachments around the Yamuna river were also brought up for discussion, with recommendations to take action against both permanent and temporary constructions in those areas. The District Magistrate informed the attendees about taking some concrete steps in this direction in certain locations. He urged the Municipal Corporation and the concerend departments to take necessary actions for the removal of the encroachment on the Yamuna flood plain.
Furthermore, suggestions were made to declare ‘Yama Dwitiya’ as a state fair. Similarly suggestions came forward to make the Yamuna Arati of Mathura-Vrindavan grand on the line of Ganga Aarti in Varanasi and Haridwar. The meeting also involved discussions on the equitable distribution of Yamuna water among Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
Regarding the development of the Yamuna riverbanks, the District Magistrate discussed plans for a Natural Check Dam and a Bio Diversity Park. Khare emphasized the need for coordination among the Mathura-Vrindavan Development Authority, the Municipal Corporation of Mathura-Vrindavan, and the Nagar Panchayat to ensure the success of the Yamuna cleaning campaign with active public participation.
Various stakeholders attended the dialogue program, including Additional District Magistrate Finance and Revenue Yoganand Pandey, Tourism Officer DK Sharma, officials from several departments, journalists, intellectuals, businessmen, and representatives from various NGOs.
