Noida: Calling rivers the lifeblood of civilisation and criticising official apathy, the Supreme Court has ordered the formation of a high-powered committee under the Union home secretary to prepare a coordinated plan for the Yamuna’s revival.The apex court observed that the river had been allowed to deteriorate into “little more than a sewage channel”, with agencies “working in silos” and, instead of checking pollution, often worsening it.A bench of Justices Manoj Mishra and Manmohan passed the order while hearing civil appeals by Noida and the Delhi Jal Board against environmental compensation imposed by National Green Tribunal. The committee will include the chief secretaries and heads of pollution control boards of all states through which the Yamuna flows, along with amicus curiae and senior advocate K Parmeshwar. It has been asked to submit its report within eight weeks.Stressing on the centrality of rivers to human survival, the bench observed, “It is no coincidence that ancient civilisations flourished along rivers such as the Nile, Indus and Mississippi.”The court said there was no single, comprehensive action plan for the Yamuna’s rejuvenation. “A river is greater than the sum of its parts. Its revival requires a long-term, integrated strategy akin to the Namami Gange Programme. The plan must clearly state its objectives, implementation strategy, roles and responsibilities of each agency, budgetary allocations and timelines. Coordination and monitoring must be entrusted to a single authority.”Accepting a suggestion made by the amicus, the court decided to create the panel under the Union home secretary, with liberty to co-opt experts or other authorities as required.The judges observed that encroachment on the Yamuna riverbed, especially in Delhi’s fragile zone ‘O’, indiscriminate discharge of toxic effluents by illegal industries, untreated sewage from unauthorised colonies, and the mixing of sewage with rainwater drains had pushed the river to the brink.“Multiple agencies working in silos have left drainage, sewage, stormwater, drinking water and effluent treatment systems either non-functional or operating below capacity,” the court said. “Instead of curbing pollution, they are aggravating it.”It added that “tough decisions” such as removing encroachments, shutting illegal industries and relocating unauthorised colonies were unavoidable, but could succeed only if the Centre, states and Union territories acted together.The case began with a 2018 plea by Noida-based environmentalist Abhisht Kusum Gupta before the NGT over the Kondli drain, a 17km channel originating in Delhi and flowing through Noida before meeting the Yamuna. He alleged that heavily contaminated water was being discharged into the Sector 137 irrigation canal. After monitoring the issue for four years, the NGT found persistent non-compliance and asked Noida Authority to deposit Rs 100 crore and the Delhi Jal Board Rs 50 crore as interim environmental compensation for restoration.Challenging the order, both authorities moved the apex court. On April 29, the court appointed Parmeshwar as amicus and asked him to suggest a holistic clean-up framework. He later submitted a 41-page report recommending a nodal agency with designated full-time officials. The matter will next be heard on Aug 8.
