Context:

• The newly elected government in Delhi, aligned with the Centre, is prioritising the cleaning of the Yamuna River.
• This initiative aligns with and supplements the Namami Gange Programme (NGP), potentially offering a replicable model for river rejuvenation by promoting Centre-state synergy and improved urban governance.

Namami Gange Programme (NGP) - A Paradigm Shift in River Rejuvenation:

• From regulatory to executive framework:
  • The NGP, launched in 2014, marks a shift from regulatory pollution control (under the Ministry of Environment) to an executive mission-based rejuvenation strategy under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
  • This executive approach reflects a change from pollution abatement to improving ecological health of rivers.
• Adoption of river basin approach:
  • The programme is based on a river basin planning model, with inputs from IITs.
  • Such integrated approaches were seen earlier in successful European models like the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (ICPR), established in 1950 to restore the River Rhine.

Institutional and Legal Innovations under NGP:

• Structural reforms and coordination mechanism:
  • The 2016 River Ganga Authorities Order created a multi-layered governance system:
    • National Ganga Council (NGC) headed by the Prime Minister
    • Empowered Task Force under Union Minister of Jal Shakti
    • Executive Council under NMCG Director General
  • Recognised the role of subnational governments through state and district-level Ganga Committees.
• Challenges in subnational participation:
  • Despite structural provisions, states’ legal, financial, and institutional responses have been underwhelming.
  • Lack of ownership from basin states poses risks to the long-term sustainability of the programme.

Delhi’s Yamuna Project - A Microcosm for Larger River Reforms:

• Urban governance and pollution control:
  • Nearly 80% of Yamuna’s pollution load originates from Delhi, primarily due to uncaptured and untreated sewage.
  • This highlights the critical role of urban governance in river restoration.
• Potential as a scalable model:
  • Yamuna’s interstate river status necessitates interstate cooperation, making Delhi’s approach a test case for federal collaboration.
  • It can help identify motivations and drivers for effective subnational mobilisation under NGP.

Learning from Global Best Practices:

• Europe’s slow but effective institutional evolution (ICPR), post events like the Sandoz disaster, led to the Water Framework Directive.
• India’s NGP can follow a similar route by mobilising internal subnational responses through institutional partnerships.

Conclusion:

• Delhi’s Yamuna cleaning initiative offers a critical opportunity for reciprocal learning under the NGP, helping to address the current gaps in state participation, urban sewage management, and interstate cooperation.
• If leveraged correctly, this can lead to a robust, multi-tiered policy and institutional ecosystem for river rejuvenation in India, with broader implications for environmental federalism, urban development, and sustainable water governance.