Dilemma for Indian Navy's Barasingha Boat: Trapped by Accumulated Waste, Yamuna River Cleanup Mission Stalled

The Indian Navy's Barasingha boat, intended for cleaning and dredging the Yamuna River in Delhi, is facing a dilemma. Three days ago, instead of being docked at the Delhi Boat Club as intended, the boat was unloaded on the riverbanks near Signature Bridge, close to Chandgi Ram Akhada near Civil Lines. The vessel remains unable to navigate due to the river's insufficient depth caused by accumulated waste and silt over the years. To manoeuvre, the boat requires a uniform depth of two metres, which is currently unavailable. Officials are working on dredging the area to facilitate the boat's movement.

Dredging has been a contentious issue due to concerns about uncontrolled mining, as expressed by experts and the National Green Tribunal. The boat was requisitioned from the Indian Navy by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena to address the need for river cleaning, monitoring rejuvenation efforts, and exploring the potential for using the clean channel as an inland waterway.

Similar proposals for dredging and utilising the Yamuna River have been suggested in the past, including using excavated earth for infrastructure projects and starting a water taxi service. The cleaning of the Yamuna in Delhi falls under the supervision of the NGT, with a High-Level Committee chaired by the Lieutenant Governor overseeing the process. This is the second involvement of the armed forces in the cause, following the participation of the territorial army in preventing the disposal of religious waste and garbage into the river.