India, March 9 -- During the recent Delhi assembly elections, the polluted waters of the Yamuna became a campaign issue. The new government in the Capital must make river-cleaning a priority. While the immediate cleaning operations include trash skimming, weed harvesting and dredging, these will have to be long-term, overarching the entire region. The river zone in Delhi covers 9,934 hectares and the river flows along a length of 48 km. It is flanked by the river Hindon in the east and the Sahibi (Najafgarh drain) in the west.

The Yamuna is integral to Ganga riverine system. The river zone in Delhi has been used for power stations, samadhis, housing, offices, stadia, temples, cremation ground, an IT park, and illegal sand mining. More th...