New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) A 2-km stretch of the Najafgarh drain in north Delhi has been completely cleaned and the work upstream is fast progressing, officials said on Thursday

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The 57-km-long channel, which flows into the Yamuna, has as many as 121 smaller drains that discharge sewage into it.

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The annual silt deposit in the drain is over 3 to 4 lakh tonnes and around 85 lakh tonnes of solid waste is lying in the drain at present due to neglect and apathy, according to officials.

The silt, accumulated in the form of two solid mounds, is equal to the 85 lakh tonnes of waste at the Ghazipur landfill site.

These underwater mounds in the drain block the natural flow of water, especially during the monsoon, resulting into overflowing of drains and flooding and water logging in the city.

Over the years, the drain deteriorated into a stinking and gas-emitting health hazard that ran through the city.

A 2-km stretch of the drain that has been completely cleaned is from Timarpur to Mall Road Bridge, they said.

Despite various court orders and directions to clean the drain, not a single new equipment for dredging has been acquired by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department or the Delhi Jal Board during the last 17 years, the officials claimed.

Ever since he took over, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has been personally overseeing the cleaning operations of the Najafgarh drain, which is the main polluting source of the Yamuna as well, the officials said.

Saxena has made several visits and boat rides in the drain in the last five months to monitor the desilting operations. Rejuvenating this drain into a clean water body as per directions of the courts has been a focus area, they said.

Putting in place a comprehensive plan of action that is cost effective, Saxena ensured seamless coordination between various stakeholders like the irrigation and the public works departments, DJB and the civic body.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)