BJP MP Manoj Tiwari took a dip in the Yamuna at Sonia Vihar on Thursday, October 29, and claimed that nearly half of the river’s stretch in Delhi had been cleaned under the Rekha Gupta government.
Tiwari said around 30 km of the 58-km stretch had been cleaned, while acknowledging that the entire river had not yet been restored. He also performed aachman, or ritual sipping of water, and invited people to celebrate Chhath Puja along the river.
“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 30 km,” he said.
During his visit, Tiwari pointed to the presence of migratory birds near the river, saying it indicated an improvement in its condition. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Water Minister Parvesh Verma for the cleaning efforts.
Tiwari also accused the previous AAP government of failing to clean the river. He said the remaining work would be completed over the next three years.
The BJP MP said water quality was being monitored at different points and that further measures, including dredging, were planned to improve the river. He also called for greater attention to the Yamuna’s biodiversity and conservation.
Ahead of Chhath Puja, Tiwari said devotees should be encouraged to perform rituals near natural water bodies such as rivers and lakes rather than relying only on temporary arrangements in parks. He suggested developing permanent ghats and ponds instead of digging temporary pits that are filled up after the festival.
AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj Challenges Tiwari
AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj disputed Tiwari’s claims, arguing that the relatively cleaner stretch of the Yamuna between Palla and Wazirabad had been clean for years.
In a post on X, Bharadwaj said the 26-km stretch from Palla to Wazirabad had historically been comparatively clean and was cleaner during the previous AAP government, citing Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) reports.
He said pollution increases downstream, particularly after the Najafgarh drain joins the Yamuna near Signature Bridge. Bharadwaj claimed the drain carries around 862 million gallons of water per day and contributes to the river’s pollution.
He also alleged that additional water released from the Hathnikund barrage ahead of Chhath last year had diluted pollution in the river.
Bharadwaj challenged Tiwari and Water Minister Parvesh Verma to drink water from the Yamuna at Kalindi Kunj Ghat, near the Okhla barrage.
“I invite Manoj Tiwari and Water Minister Parvesh Verma to drink water at Kalindi Kunj Ghat. Last year also they ran away from the challenge. This year too, they will run away,” he wrote.
The exchange comes amid renewed political claims over the Yamuna’s condition ahead of Chhath Puja. The river flows for around 52 km through Delhi, with the stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla widely identified as heavily polluted.
Earlier, Verma had said it would take around two-and-a-half to three years to clean the Yamuna completely. He said the stretch between Palla and Wazirabad had been cleaned, while work was continuing between Wazirabad and Kalindi Kunj.
