Hi-tech machines to help speed upYamuna cleanup

New Delhi: To speed up the cleaning of Yamuna, Delhi govt has approved the deployment of 32 hi-tech machines that will prevent untreated waste from entering the stretch of the river flowing through the city.

They will start functioning between next month and March, with work first beginning in Najafgarh drain, the largest contributor to pollution in the river, a senior govt official said. The machines will focus on intercepting pollutants at their source by cleaning all major drains before they discharge into the river.


Irrigation and flood control minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma said, "For years, cleaning Yamuna remained confined to files and press statements. This time, the machines will work on the ground. Pollution in the river is the result of years of neglect and outdated systems. We are breaking that cycle."

The machines include a mix of amphibious, hydraulic and dredging equipment designed to operate in waterlogged, deep and marshy stretches that are difficult to access through manual or semi-mechanical means.

The fleet comprises eight long-boom amphibious excavators, six long-boom hydraulic excavators, two amphibious multi-purpose dredgers, six self-propelled and self-unloading hopper barges, three mini amphibious excavators, two weed harvester machines, two wheeled skid steer loaders, two crawler mini hydraulic excavators and a super sucker-cum-jetting machine.

They are meant for deep desilting, removal of accumulated sludge and solid waste and extraction of water hyacinth and other weeds, the official said, adding that the equipment have been selected based on the nature of pollutants in the drains and the terrain through which they flow.

The first phase of the plan is scheduled to begin after one of the amphibious multi-purpose dredgers is flown in from Finland. The machine, which is used internationally for river and wetland restoration projects, will become fully operational by Jan.

Officials said once operations stabilise in Najafgarh drain, the machines will be redeployed across other drains and river stretches to ensure that the pollutants are removed before they reach the main channel of the Yamuna.

"The drains will be cleaned, pollution will be reduced, and Yamuna will witness visible improvement," the minister said, adding that laxity and excuses will not be tolerated.

The plan includes round-the-clock operations, quick removal of silt and sludge, and scientific disposal of waste. The amphibious machines will be used in deeper and marshy zones, while hopper barges will transport the waste. The super sucker-cum-jetting machine will be deployed in areas requiring high-pressure cleaning of the drains.

To ensure continuity, daily progress will be monitored, the officials said. Mechanisms to facilitate coordination among Delhi govt departments involved in drainage, flood control and waste management have been put in place. The aim, they added, is to continue it as a year-round, mission-mode exercise rather than a seasonal activity limited to the pre-monsoon period.