Struggling to arrange for funds for Yamuna clean-up, the Delhi government—in a first—has decided to turn to private players who would be tasked with reviving the once fabled river on an annuity model.

Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra has set a three-year deadline for the project, and promised that he would bathe in a clean Yamuna to prove his point.

“I promise we will revive the Yamuna in 36 months. I’m confident we would make the river water fit enough for bathing. I would myself take a dip to prove my point,” he said.

The Delhi government has decided to task private players with reviving the once fabled Yamuna

“I have been a Yamuna activist for years. I have reached here fighting for the cause of this sacred river. I often spend time on its banks. My heart sinks to see what we have done to this sacred river. But forget the past. We will do the job. It’s now or never,” Mishra added.

The AAP government needs Rs 3,659 crore to make the ‘maili’ Yamuna ‘nirmal’ once again by 2017, as per a plan given in January by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Union Water Resource Secretary Shashi Shekhar is leading a panel which is monitoring the execution of the NGT project to revive the river that meets 70 per cent of the total drinking needs of the Capital.

Under the arrangement, firms would raise funds, put in place clean-up systems and maintain them on behalf of the government and get a pre-agreed annual payment spread over 15 to 20 years.

The NGT has given the Delhi government time till September 11 to explain its stand vis a vis the suggested annuity model of involving private players in the task.

The Delhi government on Tuesday wrote to Shekhar in this regard.

This was after the secretary had suggested the model, saying that it would be difficult for any government to raise Rs 3,000 crore in a year or two, also indicting the quality of river restoration work done by Delhi government in the past.

Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra says he often spends time on the banks of Yamuna

“We wrote to the secretary after he met CM Arvind Kejriwal and Kapil Mishra on Monday. We have agreed to go for annuity model for projects worth about Rs 1,700 crore. This is what will cost in the phase one of the NGT plan,” a top Delhi government official told Mail Today.

The government would not have to make huge investments upfront, and private players would get their risks covered and profits ensured on a long-term basis.

The funds crisis emerged when Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA), which has been providing loans to Yamuna Action Plans (YAP) since the early 1990s, showed reluctance to re-prioritise its funds for the NGT project, officials said. Questions sent to a JICA PR representative remained unanswered.

The Centre is also unwilling to provide large funds. Despite hundreds of crores spent by DJB mainly on increasing waste water treatment capacity, YAPs have failed to improve the river’s water quality.

The NGT’s plan raises more hopes because it also looks at restoration of storm drains currently carrying sewage and adequate fresh water flow in the channel.

Also, Shekhar has said private sector investment would ensure preset timelines in implementation and efficient clean-up systems.

YAP is based on an 85:15 cost sharing basis between the Centre and Delhi government.

Rs 1,514.42 crore has been spent on YAP Phase-I & II in Delhi and two adjoining states, but in vain. Now DJB is fixing sewer lines and clean-up plants from Rs 1,656 crore approved under YAP Phase III for Delhi alone.

The Urban Development Ministry and DJB are also executing a Rs 2,000-cr sewage interceptor project, which will make up for sewerage deficiency mostly in rural Delhi and unauthorised colonies.

A 100% sewerage network will cost Rs 20,000 crore and take 15 years.

AAP government may probe wrongs done in the past

By Darpan Singh

The AAP government might probe huge wastage of money in the name of Yamuna clean-up during previous governments, Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra said.

“There is no doubt that a huge sum of money has been wasted. Whether some people intentionally pocketed parts of the project costs or not is subject to inquiries. River restoration is our first priority. But there is definitely a need to look back and find the wrongs that have happened and catch the offenders,” Mishra told Mail Today.

“It was not just the Sheila government. The Centre was also party to all cleanup projects. It’s not just the 22-km stretch of the Yamuna in urban Delhi. Hundreds of kilometres of river stretches across India are dying because of wrong priorities,” he said.

The AAP government might probe huge waste of money spent in the name of cleaning up the Yamuna during previous governments

Too many court cases, dealt with separately, and projects, often working at cross purposes, in the last three decades have literally made a mess of all clean-up efforts. How is AAP different?

“There was no intent. They did not make serious efforts. The Congress had been in power both at the Centre and in the state for many years but there was no holistic approach. Sometimes they focused on drains. Building clean-up plans became the priority at other times,” he said. Mishra said river restoration in Delhi had gone horribly wrong.

“Those in charge of clean-up could not understand the river. Had they simply poured Bisleri water—worth the cost of clean-up projects—into the river, it would have become a free-flowing, healthy river.”

Mishra said there is no ego tussle with the Centre. “We’re reaching out to the Centre. We have had meetings with Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu and the road transport and highways minister. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is also very proactive for the river clean-up. This atmosphere had been missing all these years.”

When the NGT is executing its clean-up project, why have the Delhi government and AAP agreed to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the Yamuna?

“We would execute the NGT plan in letter and spirit. We will see what the scope of the SPV shall be. Maybe the SPV will execute the NGT’s plan, maybe it will take river restoration forward,” the Delhi water minister said.

Mishra, however, added that AAP would not allow (Prime Minister Narendra) “Modi ji’s Sabarmati model” in Delhi.

“That is no river rejuvenation. The water that you see in Ahmedabad has been brought from the Narmada canal, many believe illegally. Pollution has been pushed downstream.”