New Delhi: Taking yet another step towards cleaning the Yamuna River, Delhi water minister Parvesh Verma directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Wednesday to conduct a third-party audit of all 37 sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the capital.
In a recent review meeting with the sewage management wing of DJB, which was also attended by the private operators of some of the plants, the minister was apprised of the current capacity and status of ongoing rehabilitation and upgradation works of the STPs across the city. The minister found out that several STPs were operating below their installed capacity.
“We have directed DJB to carry out a third-party audit of all STPs to get more clarity on the installed treatment capacity and the actual treatment being carried out,” Verma said.
Of the 37 STPs currently operational, 18 are undergoing upgradation to improve their performance. Additionally, three new STPs at Sonia Vihar, Delhi Gate and Okhla are expected to enhance the overall sewage treatment capacity by approximately 47 million gallons per day (MGD).
“A substantial amount of untreated sewage is still entering the Yamuna. Delhi govt is committed to reducing this pollution load through comprehensive interventions. The audit is one such step — once the reports are in, further directives will be issued to improve and expand the sewerage treatment network,” the minister said.
Delhi govt has kept aside Rs 500 crore for the repair and modernization of STPs in the 2025-26 financial year, while an additional Rs 250 crore has been earmarked for replacing old and damaged sewer lines. TNN