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Yamuna Riverfront Plan Sparks Flood of Opposition
3 Nov
Summary
- Environmentalists oppose Delhi's Yamuna riverfront project citing flood risks.
- Project mimics Ahmedabad's Sabarmati model, but rivers have different characteristics.
- Coalition urges focus on pollution, flood capacity, and floodplain protection.
A coalition of environmentalists, former water ministry officials, researchers, and citizen groups is opposing a proposed 52-km Yamuna riverfront development project in Delhi. The plan, intended to mirror Ahmedabad's Sabarmati riverfront, has drawn criticism due to the fundamental ecological and hydrological differences between the two rivers. Signatories have warned that the project could increase flood risks in the capital, particularly following recent flood events.
Concerns are focused on the Yamuna being a glacier-fed Himalayan river carrying significant silt, unlike the seasonal Sabarmati. Environmentalists argue that the Sabarmati model's success, partly due to diversion of polluting drains and regulated water supply, cannot be replicated on the Yamuna. They highlight that construction on the Yamuna floodplain might reduce its flood-carrying capacity, which has already been diminished by silt and encroachments.
The opposition references a 2015 National Green Tribunal ruling against a similar proposal. The coalition is calling for public disclosure of project details and urging the government to focus on restoring environmental flows, reducing pollution, and demarcating the floodplain scientifically. They advocate for directing public resources towards addressing the river's degradation and flood risks rather than large-scale development.
