Speed up work to stop sewage flow into Yamuna: DM

Agra: The district administration on Tuesday directed officials to expedite the tapping of major drains and ensure timely completion of sewage treatment plants (STPs) to prevent untreated sewage from flowing into the Yamuna. The work is part of the centre’s Namami Gange programme launched in 2014 to clean the river.District magistrate Manish Bansal asked departments to take time-bound action to intercept drains and divert sewage to treatment plants during a review meeting. “All under-construction STPs should be completed within the fixed timeline,” he said, adding that issues such as land disputes delaying projects must be identified and resolved.Officials said the city has around 1.9 lakh sewer connections and 12 functional STPs, while work is under way to tap 38 drains.The meeting also reviewed drinking water supply projects. Officials said the city has over 2 lakh household water connections and a 1,848-km distribution network. Reviewing the Agra Water Supply Reorganisation Scheme, Bansal said progress was slow. The project, which began on Aug 1, 2025, and is scheduled for completion by Aug 31, 2027, has achieved only 22.5% progress so far.“Work on 11 proposed overhead tanks is 15% complete, while four clear water reservoirs have seen only 5% progress,” he added.