Delhi Presses Neighbors on Stubble Smoke and Yamuna Share at Northern Zonal Council

Overview

• At the Faridabad meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said Delhi’s air quality is severely affected by regional stubble burning, citing Punjab as a major source despite improvements in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
• She asked to revise the 1994 arrangement to raise Delhi’s Yamuna allocation from 980 MGD to 1,250 MGD to meet rising demand.
• Gupta urged fast-tracking of the Renukaji, Lakhwar and Kishau dam projects and requested transfer of maintenance for the Munak Canal and ITO barrage to Delhi.
• On river cleanup, she called for trapping all drains before they enter the Yamuna, completing sewer and desilting work, and allowing only treated discharge from modern STPs, while noting positive cooperation from Haryana.
• She pushed NCR-wide adoption of electric buses, taxis and autorickshaws, demanded strict routing of heavy trucks to peripheral expressways, and said Delhi is clearing pending RRTS and regional transport dues, with no new binding commitments reported.