The Yamuna is not just a legacy to be squandered; it is a sacred trust for future generations. Its salvation demands immediate, resolute action, not empty rhetoric, bureaucratic inertia, or political grandstanding.
By Brij Khandelwal
May 15, 2025
Millions of pilgrims who annually visit the Sri Krishna land, Braj Mandal, are appalled to see the pathetic plight of holy Yamuna river. The temples of Braj may dazzle and shine, but their very reflection shimmers upon a grotesque monument to governmental negligence: the dying Yamuna River.
The revered Braj kshetra is witnessing the agonizing demise of its lifeblood, its soul, choked by decades of official indifference and a litany of broken promises. The once vibrant ghats, echoing with the devotional fervor of pilgrims and the lively chatter of boatmen, now stand as desolate husks, silent witnesses to a river transformed into a toxic, festering wound. This is not just environmental degradation; it is a cultural catastrophe, a spiritual desecration, and a chilling indictment of a state government that has turned a blind eye to the cries of a dying river and a despairing populace. The story of the Yamuna’s decline is a tragic saga of betrayal, beginning with the brutal disregard for heritage. In Mathura, Vrindavan and Agra, Yamuna’s ghats—once pulsed with life. Morning aartis filled the air, bathing rituals cleansed souls, and religious gatherings brought communities together. These were not mere riverbanks; they were the arteries of cultural and spiritual identity.
Take the case of Agra. In an act of staggering official vandalism, Sanjay Gandhi, during the infamous Emergency of 1975, ordered their ruthless demolition, severing a vital link to the city’s past. Decades later, the promises of revival have proven to be cruel mirages. The Mayawati government’s 2003 Riverfront project, a fleeting glimmer of hope, was swiftly extinguished by Supreme Court intervention.
Since then, successive administrations, including the current Yogi government, have paid lip service to the Yamuna’s revival, issuing grand pronouncements that dissolve into the polluted waters, leaving behind only the bitter taste of deceit.
The statistics are not just alarming; they are a death knell. The Central Pollution Control Board’s 2024 report paints a horrific picture: the Yamuna is a putrid cesspool, unfit for bathing, drinking, or sustaining any form of aquatic life. This isn’t a natural disaster; it’s a man-made calamity fueled by governmental inaction. Six to eight feet of suffocating silt chokes the riverbed, impeding any natural flow. The Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), a critical indicator of water quality, shockingly exceeds 30 mg/L—a level of toxicity that signifies a river on life support, gasping for breath, when a healthy river demands less than 3 mg/L. Untreated sewage, relentless industrial waste, and unchecked effluents have been systematically allowed to bleed into the Yamuna, transforming a sacred river into a sewer. Where is the accountability? Where is the political will to halt this ecocide?
The most glaring symbol of governmental paralysis is the downstream barrage near the Taj Mahal. This crucial project, capable of maintaining the river’s water level and breathing life back into it, has languished in bureaucratic purgatory for decades. From 2014 to 2025, a span of over a decade, neither the central nor the state government has demonstrated any genuine resolve.
The much-touted Namami Gange mission, a supposed panacea for river rejuvenation, has catastrophically failed, proving to be nothing more than a colossal waste of taxpayer money. There has been no comprehensive plan for desilting, no effective implementation of sewage treatment plants, and no consistent supply of freshwater—only empty rhetoric echoing across a parched and poisoned landscape.
Against this backdrop of official apathy, organizations like the River Connect Campaign have waged a tireless, often thankless, war for the Yamuna’s restoration.
The Yogi government’s recent, half-hearted attempts to revive the ghats and aarti traditions have predictably crumbled under the weight of administrative lethargy, proving that gestures without genuine commitment are futile.
The time for platitudes is over. The Yamuna is not merely a body of water; it is the very soul of Braj mandal and its agonizing death is a direct consequence of governmental neglect. The path to revival is clear, demanding immediate, decisive action, not another round of empty promises:
- Rebuild the Ghats, Now: Construct permanent ghats at vital sites to restore access and dignity.
- Clean the River, Ruthlessly: Launch an aggressive campaign to remove silt, install and operationalize advanced sewage treatment plants, and enforce stringent regulations on industrial waste. The polluters must be held accountable.
- In Agra build the Downstream Barrage, Without Delay: Commence construction of the Taj Mahal barrage immediately. This is not a luxury; it is an absolute necessity.
- Promote Eco-Friendly Transport: Encourage pollution-free boat transport to boost tourism and the local economy, providing an alternative to polluting road transport.
- Ensure Water Supply, Consistently: Mandate regular freshwater releases from Okhla and Hathini Kund dams.
- Desilting Drives, Relentlessly: Implement continuous, organized campaigns to remove accumulated silt.
- Strict Pollution Control, With Zero Tolerance: Impose severe penalties on those polluting the river, especially those defecating in it despite accessible alternatives.
End Illegal Encroachments: Reclaiming the Riverbanks
The chaos on the Yamuna’s banks, dominated by unauthorized settlements and unchecked activity, is a testament to the breakdown of law and order. Police and political groups have actively contributed to the decay of ghats and parks. These illegal encroachments must be dismantled with uncompromising resolve. Designated, regulated spaces must be allocated for washermen and livestock owners to curb further pollution.
The creation of more reservoirs like Keetham Lake for rainwater harvesting is a desperate but necessary measure to maintain the Yamuna’s water levels. Furthermore, the government must actively promote and enforce the minimization of pesticide and chemical fertilizer use in agriculture and mandate post-harvest cleanups to prevent toxic runoff into the river.
The ruin of the Yamuna’s ghats is not merely an aesthetic tragedy; it is a direct assault on Braj Mandal’s spiritual and cultural identity. River Connect Campaign has issued a desperate plea to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to convene an emergency meeting with officials and NGOs. This is not a bureaucratic exercise; it is a call to arms. Coupled with this, immediate traffic control measures along the river banks, pedestrian-friendly pathways, and one-way traffic systems are crucial to alleviate the urban pressures suffocating the river.
The Yamuna is not just a legacy to be squandered; it is a sacred trust for future generations. Its salvation demands immediate, resolute action, not empty rhetoric, bureaucratic inertia, or political grandstanding. Restoring the Yamuna’s ghats is not merely an environmental undertaking; it is the only way to revive the cultural pride and bequeath to its citizens a clean, vibrant river. The government must act now, with the urgency. To continue ignoring Yamuna’s dying plea is to condemn Braj Mandal’s soul to an irreversible, toxic oblivion.
