Sisodia nods for project to lay 34-km sewer line in 39 Najafgarh colonies

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday approved a project to lay a 34-kilometre-long sewer line in 39 unauthorised colonies of Najafgarh, a statement said.

The Rs 41-crore project will benefit 55,000 people in these unauthorised colonies, he said in the statement.

Free sewerage connections will be provided to 1,607 households in Najafgarh under the Mukhyamantri Muft Sewer Connection Yojana, Sisodia added.

He also instructed Delhi Jal Board officials to complete the work within the stipulated time.

There are 1,799 unauthorised colonies in Delhi. Of these, 725 have been connected to the sewerage network while work is underway in 573 others.

Sewage from unauthorised colonies not connected to the sewerage network flows directly into the Yamuna.

The Delhi government has promised to clean the Yamuna to bathing standards by February 2025.

The river can be considered fit for bathing if biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) -- the amount of oxygen required for microbial metabolism of organic compounds in waters -- is less than 3 milligrams per litre and dissolved oxygen is greater than 5 milligrams per litre.