New Delhi [India], April 12: Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma on Saturday criticized the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration for neglecting key civic responsibilities and assured that all drains in the capital will be cleaned and desilted within a month ahead of the monsoon season.
Speaking from Sri Niwaspuri, Verma said, “We are trying to ensure that all the drains are cleaned and desilted before monsoon… We came here today to solve the problem of waterlogging beforehand… The previous Delhi CM did not do any work here… We will get the entire Delhi cleaned up, no matter who the MLA is. The authorities have assured that the drains will be cleaned in one month.”
Earlier this week, on April 10, Delhi Chief Minister, along with Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and Minister Verma, inspected the supplementary drain to monitor desilting progress. The Flood and Irrigation Department has been given the special task of ensuring the timely cleaning of all major drains.
Following BJP’s sweeping victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, where it secured 48 out of 70 seats, the new government launched an aggressive cleanup drive for the Yamuna River. Equipment like trash skimmers, weed harvesters, and dredge utility vehicles were deployed on February 16 to combat river pollution.
The condition of the Yamuna was a central issue during the elections, with the BJP criticizing AAP for failing to deliver on its promises. As per BJP’s manifesto, cleaning the Yamuna remains one of its top priorities.
To further support this mission, the Delhi government has also requested the deployment of the Territorial Army’s Ecological Task Force to prevent illegal activities along the river such as garbage dumping, mining, and encroachment. This move is expected to significantly aid in achieving the target of a clean Yamuna within three years.
The Yamuna’s pollution has long been a concern, with untreated sewage, industrial waste, and encroachments contributing to its degradation. The current government’s multi-pronged approach aims to reverse years of environmental neglect.