New Delhi [India], October 29 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari on Thursday claimed that more than half of the Yamuna stretch in Delhi had been cleaned and said the focus of the government was to provide a clean river to the people of the national capital ahead of the Chhath festival.
During a visit to the river, Tiwari pointed to birds near the water and cited their presence as an indication of cleanliness. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Minister Parvesh Verma for the efforts towards cleaning the Yamuna.
"We aim to give a clean Yamuna to the people of Delhi. And I am so happy about this. That in one and a half years, with the blessings of Narendra Modi, we have done this with the efforts of Rekha ji," Tiwari said.
Addressing concerns about the use of the river during Chhath Puja, Tiwari said the festival's basic purpose was connected to water conservation and cleanliness. He urged people to make use of natural water bodies, including rivers and lakes, rather than limiting celebrations to temporary arrangements in parks.
"But the basic feeling of Chhath is water conservation. Water cleanliness. And when Chhath Vratis will come to the riverside, to the lakeside. Whatever the source of water. I will pray from all over Delhi," he said.
Tiwari also advised people to construct permanent ghats and ponds instead of digging temporary pits that are filled up after a few days. He said such arrangements should contribute to water conservation and the availability of natural water sources.
The BJP MP also responded to criticism over the condition of the Yamuna, saying water quality had been monitored at several locations. He maintained that the cleaning efforts should not be dismissed on the basis of political criticism or social media content.
"I am not claiming that we have cleaned Yamuna-ji 58 kilometres from Delhi. But we have cleaned Yamuna-ji more than half, i.e. almost 30km," he said.
Tiwari said the government was also planning further work, including dredging, to improve the river's navigability. He noted that water levels varied across locations and said efforts would be made to address the issue.
"We are going to work on that too. Now we are going to do dredging. Because our navigators know the route from where to go," he said.
Tiwari also addressed the political criticism surrounding the Yamuna, referring to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party. However, he said the purpose of his visit was not to embarrass political opponents.
"I am not someone who is doing this to embarrass Arvind Kejriwal. No. We aim to give a clean Yamuna to the people of Delhi," he said.
He further highlighted the importance of protecting biodiversity along the river, pointing to birds and other wildlife as part of the surrounding ecosystem. He said research and conservation efforts were also being undertaken in the area.
Tiwari urged Delhi residents to focus on maintaining natural water bodies and adopting practices that support water conservation, particularly during the Chhath festival.