New Delhi, Nov 12 (IANS) Delhi Lieutenant Governor T.S. Sandhu will begin discussions on river rejuvenation at ‘Yamuna Dialogues’ being organised by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on November 20, bringing together stakeholder, including experts from scientific institutions, urban planners and civil society, an official said on Thursday.
The one-day roundtable, to be organised at Baansera in Birsa Munda Chowk, would offer a platform to national and global experts to deliberate on a shared vision and actionable roadmap for the rejuvenation of the Yamuna in Delhi, the official said in a statement.
The Dialogues will focus on the 52-km urban stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi, recognising the river and its floodplains as an interconnected ecological system.
A key objective of the Dialogues is to translate expert deliberations into tangible outcomes, priority interventions and opportunities for collaboration, with clearly identified next steps for the long-term restoration and management of the Yamuna, the statement said.
The initiative seeks to move beyond isolated interventions towards an integrated, science-based and collaborative approach to river restoration, ecological resilience, sustainable public access and long-term management, the statement added.
“Baansera, the venue for the Dialogues, is itself an example of ecological restoration and transformation. Once used for dumping construction waste, the site has been developed by DDA into a vibrant bamboo park and public green space, attracting around five lakh visitors,” the statement said.
Its transformation demonstrates the potential of restoring degraded landscapes while creating opportunities for people to reconnect with nature, it added.
“The Dialogues will feature six thematic sessions covering key dimensions of Yamuna rejuvenation: Governance Mechanisms; Floodplain Planning and Ecological Measures; Water Quality and Drainage Management; River–People Connect and Ghat Development; Sustainable Financing Models and Emerging Technology, Research and Innovation,” the statement added.
The discussions will be guided by three overarching principles: restoring the Yamuna as a living ecosystem, minimising the ecological impact of human activities on the river and its floodplains, and strengthening the relationship between the river and the people of Delhi.
The recommendations emerging from the six thematic sessions will be consolidated into the proposed ‘Delhi Yamuna Report’, a document outlining key insights, priority actions, institutional responsibilities, potential partnerships and pathways for implementation.
Through the Yamuna Dialogues, DDA seeks to facilitate a sustained collaborative effort among government agencies, scientific institutions, development partners and communities, laying the foundation for a more ecologically resilient, environmentally sustainable and people-connected Yamuna, the statement added.
–IANS
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