Israeli firm to clean up toxic Yamuna drain from Bhalswa to Surghat

The Delhi government has roped in an Israeli firm to clean up, through ecological methods, an 8-kilometre stretch of one of the most polluting drains that empties into the highly-polluted Yamuna river.

The Delhi government has roped in an Israeli firm to clean up, through ecological methods, an eight-kilometre stretch of one of the most polluting drains that empties into the highly-polluted Yamuna river.

Team of officials and experts led by DJB chairperson Kapil Mishra went across the polluted river to have a first-hand experience of the problems facing the Yamuna. (HT Photo) (HT File Photo)

Delhi water minister Kapil Mishra said Israeli firm ‘Ayala Water and Ecology Ltd’ has been tasked with preparing a detailed project report on cleaning up the Bhalswa to Surghat stretch of the supplementary drain.

“The report will be prepared in the next four months. We have chosen the supplementary drain to begin with and plan to expand the project further. It can be considered a big step as the drain has a capacity of 180 million litres per day (MLD),” Mishra said.

The company has expertise in ‘Phytoremediation’, that uses shrubs to remove and destroy contaminants in soil and water, and ‘constructed wetlands’, which is also a natural method to cleanse water.

The supplementary drain is among the four big canals that join the Yamuna in Delhi where it traverses a distance of about 46 kms. The rest are the Barapula, Shahadara and Najafgarh drains.

“As we celebrate 25 years of growing partnership, we are glad to offer Israeli technology integrated in government initiatives for the benefit of the Indian citizen. This is another example of the multifaceted partnership between India and Israel,” said Daniel Carmon, Israeli ambassador to India.