Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman Somnath Bharti takes stock of Delhi Gate WWTP project
New Delhi: The Delhi Jal Board is working to clean the Yamuna River by constructing a 10-MGD wastewater treatment plant near Delhi Gate under the Clean Yamuna Mission. The plant will treat 100% sewage from the Old Delhi area, aiming to decrease pollution levels in Yamuna. Vice Chairman Somnath Bharti on Saturday inspected the Delhi Gate WWTP project and noted that the treated wastewater is better than the prescribed 10/10 standard. 13 locations have been connected to wastewater treatment plants, with the remaining five locations to be trapped by June 2024. The Delhi government aims to clean the Yamuna by 2025, fulfilling the promise made to residents to take a dip in the Yamuna.
He stated that the Delhi Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), built in 2015, with a 15-MGD capacity. The plant's treated wastewater meets prescribed standards, contributing to the clean Yamuna dream. The Delhi Gate WWTP is crucial for clean Yamuna, producing electricity from an energy gas plant that accounts for 1/3rd of the total WWTP's electricity consumption. The treated wastewater is used in tankers for washing buses and road cleaning. The Delhi Jal Board plans to build a new 10 MGD wastewater treatment plant to treat sewage from Old Delhi, covering areas like Chandni Chowk, Darya Ganj, Matia Mahal, Shanti Van area, and Paharganj. The plant is expected to be completed within a year, allowing for 100% sewage treatment in Old Delhi.
Bharti further stated that water from drains in Delhi flows into Yamuna at 18 locations. The Delhi Jal Board has trapped 13 of these locations, causing sewage to be treated in sewage treatment plants before being released into Yamuna. Only treated wastewater is now being pumped into the Yamuna River, reducing pollution levels. The remaining five locations will also be treated in the treatment plant before discharge. A deadline of June 2024 is set for the project, with the Delhi Government aiming to clean the Yamuna by 2025 to fulfill the promise of residents taking a dip in the river.