Feasibility Issues May Halt Ganga-Yamuna Water Diversion Project
Plan to divert Ganga water to Yamuna may be shelved over feasibility concerns
Image: Hindustan Times
A proposal to divert 500 cusecs of water from the Ganga to the Yamuna is facing significant feasibility challenges, leading to its likely shelving. Concerns include the damaged canal infrastructure and insufficient water availability in the Ganga during summer. The focus will now shift to internal projects to improve Yamuna's water quality.
- 01The Uttar Pradesh irrigation department has deemed the diversion plan infeasible due to poor canal conditions and water shortages.
- 02Current water flow in the Yamuna is around 10 cumecs, while experts recommend 23 cumecs to improve water quality.
- 03The Yamuna in Delhi accounts for nearly 76% of the total pollution in the river despite being less than 2% of its total length.
- 04The diversion plan included three points for water addition, but the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) was prohibited from using this water for its own purposes.
- 05Focus will now be on projects approved by the National Mission for Clean Ganga, including wastewater treatment initiatives.
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The proposal to divert 500 cusecs of water from the Ganga to the Yamuna, part of a project aimed at rejuvenating the Yamuna, faces significant feasibility challenges. A senior official from the Delhi government indicated that the Uttar Pradesh irrigation department has communicated that the plan is not feasible at this time. The primary concerns include the poor condition of the canal infrastructure between the Eastern Yamuna Canal and Delhi, which is unable to carry the additional water, and a lack of surplus water in the Ganga during the summer months. The official stated that while the project may be considered again in the future, it is currently shelved. Instead, the focus will shift to internal projects approved by the National Mission for Clean Ganga, aimed at improving the environmental flow and quality of the Yamuna. The river's water quality is severely compromised due to untreated sewage and industrial waste, with current flows at 10 cumecs compared to the 23 cumecs needed. The pollution in the Yamuna is particularly concentrated in the 22 km stretch in Delhi, which contributes to 76% of the river's total pollution.
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The shelving of the water diversion project will affect efforts to improve the Yamuna's water quality, which is critical for the health of local ecosystems and communities relying on the river.
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