New Delhi,Dr. Anil Mehta, Principal of Vidya Bhavan Polytechnic, shared his insights as the chief expert at the Yamuna Restoration Workshop organized jointly by IIT Delhi and Delhi Pharmaceutical University.

Chairing the session on River Policy, Governance, and Management, Dr. Mehta stressed the importance of protecting the floodplains and maintaining biodiversity as a critical step in river restoration. "River restoration should begin with its floodplains, and policies must incorporate social, cultural, spiritual, and ecological traditions and values," he noted.

He highlighted that channelizing rivers goes against their natural character and emphasized that wastewater must be treated at its source. Dr. Mehta also advocated for river-centric master plans for cities and the use of biological treatment methods to address emerging contaminants in rivers. The session further shed light on green approaches to river restoration.

Kalpana Khurana, Deputy Commissioner of the Delhi Development Authority, described the current state of Delhi’s 22-kilometer river stretch. Environmental law expert Advocate Om Shankar Srivastava provided insights on existing regulations under the NGT and Supreme Court frameworks, while specialists Dr. Shikha, Dr. Mahavir, and Dr. Simmi also shared their perspectives.

During the inaugural session, Dr. Mehta underlined the ecological and cultural dimensions of rivers, emphasizing that rivers are not merely water resources but sources of life. He stressed the need to protect rivers from climate change, lifestyle shifts, and unplanned development.

The two-day workshop saw participation from IIT Delhi professors Dr. Vivek Kumar, Dr. Srikrishnan, Dr. Shilpi, and Dr. Gosain, along with experts from NIERI, JNU, CSE, NIAU, and other institutions. The session was presided over by Professor Ravichandran, Vice-Chancellor of Delhi Pharmaceutical University.

 

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