Indian Express 28.04.2010
Another Games makeover: Govt wants entire Yamuna stretch a biodiversity zone
Neha Sinha Tags : Yamuna biodiversity zone, delhi Posted: Wednesday, Apr 28, 2010 at 0002 hrs
New delhi: To give Yamuna the status of an ecological river — and not one that only treats sewage water — the Delhi government decided on Tuesday to nurture the entire 48 kilometres of the river’s stretch in Delhi as a biodiversity zone.Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna set the project in motion at a meeting on Tuesday. Work is expected to start in four months on the river’s banks, spanning over 10,000 hectares.
Newsline had earlier reported that Khanna’s office and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) were working on a proposal to create a biodiversity area along the river’s urban stretch — 22 kilometres from Wazirabad to Okhla.
Khanna met the chief secretary, the DDA vice-chairman, officials of the Environment department and scientists from the Centre for Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE) on Tuesday to discuss this action plan. The scope of the original idea was subsequently expanded to include the entire 48 kilometres of the river in the state.
Officer on Special Duty to Khanna, Ranjan Mukherjee, said: “The L-G has asked the DDA to examine if the Palla-Okhla stretch, and not just the shorter Wazirabad-Okhla stretch, can be converted into a biodiversity zone. He has emphasised that people should be aware of the conservation status of the river so that there is no scope for encroachment.”
Another new proposal that got an in-principle nod was the creation of small riverine ecosystems — or a chain of smaller water bodies — parallel and perpendicular to the river.
This network of water bodies will prevent treated or untreated sewage water from flowing directly into the Yamuna. Rocky areas will be developed and the treated water will pass through created aquatic and fish cultures (in the riverine systems and ponds) before entering the river, the plan says. Existing craters and depressions on the banks will be cultivated to hold water. This will also filter out heavy metals and other pollutants.
An environment expert, who was at the meeting, said: “These will also serve as sinks during monsoons. Some of the areas will need to be desilted.”
Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta said work would start immediately as “there was no scope for wasting time”.
At a glance
Small water bodies, channels and ponds will be created along the banks of the Yamuna to prevent treated sewage water from entering the river directly
In these water bodies, aquatic plant and fish communities will be cultivated
Ahead of this, biodiversity areas — meaning grassland and plant communities found in wetlands — will be created on the banks
Tourism on mind: people will have access to the outer areas of the greenbelt, while there will be a degree of protection for inner areas .
