India so far has hosted several international games since the first Asiad when Pt. Nehru was the Prime Minister. Every time it was announced that the Yamuna will get a facelift to match the Thames in London and most of the water sports would be staged in this river. To our utter dismay, this mytholigically sacred river is still awaiting a fare deal from the Delhi Govt. Today it is just a dirty nullah, poisonous enough to disallow the aquatic animals and plants to grow.
In mid-1980’s when I had first gone to Ahmedabad, I was shocked to see the plight of the river Sabarmati. A visitor to Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram felt dismayed after seeing the blackish water and open defecation on its banks. Later on when I went there in 2012, I was surprised to see the turnaround. The river was full of clean greenish water, it was well channelled between two strong concrete embankments, with a well maintained garden of exotic trees and flower plants and an excellent walk-way beside the flowing water. The place has turned to be a hot tourist destination where one could enjoy the boating on clean water with cool air blowing around. I wished that someday, the Yamuna in Delhi having a length of over 40 km, will have the same attractive facelift.
As if some wise men in Delhi were listening, all on a sudden some good news appeared in newspapers. Its not true that nothing had been done in past. But it is a fact that despite huge amounts invested, the river continues to be in a pitiable state. The news was captioned, “Hope floats as work on Yamuna picks up”.This time the DDA is serious to pursue its Yamuna Riverfront Development Project, which will protect and restore biodiversity of the river integrated with public recreation facilities. The banks will have several flora and fauna friendly parks and walking tracks. The riverbed, for the present is in an unbearably ugly shape with the rampant disposal of human waste. To cap these all, the construction waste is also being dumped there. The LG/Delhi has directed the authorities concerned to stop this practice forthwith. Accordingly, guards are being deputed to keep a close eye on culprits and bring them to book as an effective deterrent major.
All these are welcome developments. The people, however, are afraid that this may not peter out like other such election-eve sops announced in the past by the political parties, in power or in Q for that. They should realize that like roads and factories, this will also be a visible work which the electorate will remember while exercising their franchise.
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