Delhi: Drain lines in 39 unauthorised colonies to help clean Yamuna

In a major move to check pollution in the Yamuna, the Delhi government has decided to lay sewer lines in four villages and 39 unauthorised colonies and upgrade six sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Kondli, Coronation Park, Rohini, Pappan Kalan, Narela and Nilothi.

The decisions were taken in the meeting of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Friday at the Delhi secretariat and a government official later said the move was in line with the Arvind Kejriwal government’s larger vision of cleaning the Yamuna.

The meeting, chaired by Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, also decided to allocate ₹1,367.5 crore for recycling and reusing water and upgrading six STPs.

The total cost of the projects approved on Friday is nearly ₹1,855 crore and includes the laying of a pipeline to carry water from the Okhla STP to the Yamuna and developing lakes near the sewage treatment plant to recharge groundwater.

The Kejriwal-led government has set a target to clean the Yamuna by 2025 and as part of the plan, the government wants to connect all houses to sewer lines. To that end, the government wants to lay an extensive network of sewer lines in 39 unauthorised colonies and villages of Bijwasan, Najafgarh, Shikarpur, Deoli, Sangam Vihar, and Burari.

Currently, all sewage generated from these areas is discharged into local ponds, septic tanks, and stormwater drains. The untreated discharge eventually ends up in the Yamuna, thereby worsening its pollution levels. Once sewer lines are laid, all discharge will be first treated in STPs and only then discharged into the river, officials said.

Sisodia said: “The sewer lines will benefit about 3 lakh (300,000) residents. Presently all sewage generated in these areas is discharged into local ponds, septic tanks, and stormwater drains. After laying sewer lines in about 39 unauthorised colonies and four villages, 8.25MGD (million gallons daily) will be treated daily and only clean water will reach the Yamuna.”

Six STPs — in Kondli, Coronation Park, Rohini, Pappan Kalan, Narela , and Nilothi — will be upgraded at a cost of ₹1,367.5 crore to help improve the quality of treated water, the DJB said.

Currently, the total capacity of these STPs is 160MGD, which will increase to 205MGD after the upgrade.

“The STPs will remove nitrogen, and phosphorous as well as pathogens. The capacity of Pappan Kalan STP will be increased from 20MGD to 30MGD. The treated water will be released into the existing lakes spread over 11 acres on the STP premises,” said a DJB official.

Sisodia said: “The Delhi government is in the process of making Delhi a city of lakes. A total of 299 water bodies and nine lakes are being developed by DJB to improve the biodiversity of the capital as well as the groundwater level. The water from these ponds and lakes can also be used to bridge the gap between demand and supply.”

The state government has also decided to supply treated water from the STPs to farmhouses in DLF Chattarpur, Satbari, and Radhe Mohan Drive so that the dependence on borewells can be reduced in these areas.