SC asks NGT to monitor work to

clean the Yamuna

After monitoring government efforts to clean the Yamuna for over two decades,
the Supreme Court decided on Monday to entrust the task to National Green
Tribunal (NGT) to clean the river which has become more polluted over the years.

The apex court had taken a suo motu cognisance in 1994 on the news report on
pollution in Yamuna in Delhi and it has been since then overseeing the steps taken
by Centre, UP, NCT government and Haryana to clean the river. It had earlier in
January referred the case on Ganga pollution to NGT after monitoring Centre's
effort to clean the holy river for over three decades.

A bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud, however,

decided that implementation of various projects to clean the river should be
monitored by the green tribunal and referred the matter to NGT. It said that the
tribunal was already looking into the issue and there should not be a parallel
proceeding.

The bench expressed concern over the growing pollution level in Yamuna despite
its efforts of the last 23 years and spending around Rs 4,439 crore by various
governments to clean the river.