Letter to LG ( 26 Jan. 2010)

To,

Sri Tejendra Khanna,
Hon'ble Lt Governor
DELHI

Respected Sir,

Greetings for the 60th anniversary of the nation's REPUBLIC DAY from Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan.

Sir, apropos the news item published in today's (26 Jan 10) Indian Express, informing about the Yamuna river bed plans, we take pleasure in complimenting your honour in taking a firm stand on the question of ill conceived channelisation plans a la river Thames and Danube in Europe, as also the fact that having already lost around 3000 ha of the 9700 ha of the river bed/flood plain to hare-brained schemes, the city can ill afford to lose any more to concretisation and non river friendly activities. Also in firmly turning down fancy plans like the Formula One racing track in the river bed/flood plain.

While we fully endorse your plans to make the river accessible to people in the city and the visitors to it (so that a greater sense of ownership and realisation of the importance of the river dawns on them), we suggest that DDA may be advised suitably by your honour to make its future plans for the river bed public in its entirety before finalisation and invite comments and suggestions on any new activity (san concretisation) in the name of recreation promotion planned in the river bed/flood plains. In addition, we request once again that the entire Zone O (river zone) under the MPD 2021 be legally protected (under Environment Protection Act, 1986) to guard against any future threats to it.

Sir, it is also urgent that a political process be initiated for a time bound dialogue with Haryana and UP to ensure a steady and adequate flow in the river, round the year, which is sine qua non for its revival.

With warm regards,


Manoj Misra
Convener