Yamuna, one of the most polluted rivers, is facing further encroachment and litter, apparently from the Delhi Metro construction sites.
NEW DELHI: Yamuna, one of the most polluted rivers, is facing further encroachment and litter, apparently from the Delhi Metro construction sites. However, Metro officials deny the allegations.
“This is the flip side of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). In a bid to connect the entire city, it is slowly eating away the flood plain that not only adds to the problems faced by Yamuna, but also makes the people vulnerable to various risks,” said Manoj Misra of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, an initiative to save the river in the capital.
For example, the Shastri Park metro station is built on the flood plain of the Yamuna. Such constructions, along with the upcoming Yamuna metro station, are further squeezing the plain and hence, the river itself.
“The flood plains are critical for ground water recharge, which is a substantial source of water supply to the capital. Therefore, encroachment of the flood plain short-circuits the huge water potential beneficial to the city” said Misra.
“In 2004, the Yamuna jhuggis (slums) were forcibly removed by the government, stating that such encroachments further add to the Yamuna’s problems. But there is no one to question the hordes of other authorised constructions all along the flood plains,” he added. The Akshardham temple and the Commonwealth Games Village are other constructions lying on the flood plains of the river.
Delhi is flood-prone and the primary purpose of the flood plain is to control the seepage of floodwaters. Also the plains lie in zone four of the seismic map which is prone to disaster in case of an earthquake.
However, DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal said all construction decisions were made after taking environmental facts into consideration and obtaining the relevant
permissions.
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