Cleaning up Delhi’s stretch of the Yamuna river is no longer a solitary mission. Recognizing that much of the river’s pollution flows in from upstream, the central government has launched a full-scale, inter-state initiative uniting Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to reclaim the Yamuna’s health.

Why a Joint Mission?

For years, the focus was just on Delhi’s own waste. But with untreated sewage and industrial effluents pouring into the river from Haryana and UP, a real solution needed coordinated action across state borders. Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently gathered top officials—including Delhi CM Rekha Gupta—to hammer out an aggressive plan and timeline.

Haryana: Tackling Industrial Waste

  • Targets: Haryana has been directed to halt the discharge of untreated waste from highly polluting industries by March 2026—through a mix of in-house and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs).

  • Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs): 17 unauthorized STPs are to be upgraded by December 2026. Any underperforming plants must reach at least 60% treatment efficiency by April 2026.

  • Expansion: The state will build new STPs for Gurgaon and Faridabad and add seven CETPs with a total capacity of 125 million litres per day by March 2028.

  • Progress: As of now, 72% of Haryana's STPs are compliant according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

Uttar Pradesh: Urban Sewage and Drain Tapping

  • Action in Key Cities: Cities like Agra, Mathura, Vrindavan, Kosi, and Chhata are under focus.

  • Drain Tapping: A whopping 43 untapped drains in Agra alone are being targeted, with all tapping to be completed by June 2027.

  • Environmental Flow: Through upgraded treatment, UP aims to maintain an environmental flow of 6.2 cusecs in the Yamuna, ensuring healthier river dynamics.

Boosting River Flow

Solving Yamuna’s woes isn’t just about pollution; it’s also about water volume. Up to 2,400 cusecs of clean Ganga water will be channeled to the Yamuna via the Upper Ganga Canal and the Eastern Yamuna Canal, enhancing flow and improving water quality.

Delhi’s Role & Other Initiatives

  • The Delhi government, too, must curb pollution from local industrial units.

  • Treated water from Okhla’s STPs is to be released downstream, boosting river quality.

  • A detailed review of Delhi’s water needs—and a crackdown on unregulated borewells—are part of the action plan.

The Road Ahead: Collaboration Is Key

Amit Shah underscored that only synchronized, continuous action across Delhi, Haryana, and UP will truly cleanse the Yamuna flowing through India’s capital. Regular meetings between state ministers and officials are planned to keep the mission on track and ensure the river’s revival is a shared, ongoing responsibility.

Times of India article, July 19, 2025.