Yamuna Mantha: Experts gather to brainstorm river’s revival plan
The attendees emphasised that the Yamuna cannot be looked at in isolation, and all other water bodies too require attention. The conference was organised by MAS Council for Water and River
Experts, policymakers, educators, citizens and communities came together on Friday to forge a vision on how to clean the Yamuna at the ‘Yamuna Manthan 2025’ conference held in the city.
The attendees emphasised that the Yamuna cannot be looked at in isolation, and all other water bodies too require attention. The conference was organised by MAS Council for Water and River (MCWR).
“This pivotal event aimed to transform the discourse surrounding the Yamuna, shifting it from being a mere pollution control measure to a comprehensive strategy for water augmentation and sustainable management,” said an MCWR member.
Sanjeev Roy, one of the founders of MCWR, said .“We want to collect ideas so we can act as a platform of ideas, one which forms the network for those who want to contribute.”
MCWR founder Maneesh Prasad said data shows that several of Delhi’s fresh water bodies, including the Najafgarh lake, have gone missing over the years.
“This problem cannot be solved by looking at just the 22 km stretch of Yamuna in isolation. We urge the government to extend efforts to neighbouring areas such as Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh,” Prasad said.
{{/usCountry}}“This problem cannot be solved by looking at just the 22 km stretch of Yamuna in isolation. We urge the government to extend efforts to neighbouring areas such as Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh,” Prasad said.
{{/usCountry}}Other points discussed at the conference included waste management, correlation of groundwater to Yamuna’s water, and real-time monitoring of environmental flow of the river.
{{/usCountry}}Other points discussed at the conference included waste management, correlation of groundwater to Yamuna’s water, and real-time monitoring of environmental flow of the river.
{{/usCountry}}“We need to set a clear objective. The next step would be getting proper data. There needs to be a water audit conducted in Delhi. Cleaning of a river is difficult but it does not involve rocket science,” said Chandra Bhushan, president, International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iForest).
{{/usCountry}}“We need to set a clear objective. The next step would be getting proper data. There needs to be a water audit conducted in Delhi. Cleaning of a river is difficult but it does not involve rocket science,” said Chandra Bhushan, president, International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iForest).
{{/usCountry}}The conference also saw participation from students of Delhi University, featuring a theatre performance on the theme, “Humari Yamuna, Hum Bachayenge” (We will save our Yamuna).
{{/usCountry}}The conference also saw participation from students of Delhi University, featuring a theatre performance on the theme, “Humari Yamuna, Hum Bachayenge” (We will save our Yamuna).
{{/usCountry}}The last section of the conference opened the floor to representatives from NGOs, school teachers and students to share suggestions on how to move forward and ensure collective responsibility.
The conference also featured the release of a publication on the contributions of Dr BR Ambedkar to water management.
“...Dr Ambedkar also played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s water policies, advocating for equitable water distribution, development of multi-purpose river valley projects, and the establishment of key institutions. This special issue of a journal will shed light on Ambedkar’s visionary foresight and its enduring relevance in addressing contemporary water challenges,” MCWR said in a statement.
Roy said MCWR is determined to be involved in the ‘Maa Yamuna Swachhta Abhiyan’ (MYSA), which is an initiative by the directorate of education to include young minds and school children in environmental conservation. The drive was announced on June 4 and is set to be an almost year-long awareness campaign
