The Territorial Army has now been deployed in the combat to save the only river flowing through India’s capital, Delhi. This step was taken probably after the existing administrative machinery failed to yield effective results, despite the expenditure of crores of rupees. For this purpose, the ‘Yamuna Task Force’ of the Territorial Army has been constituted and has commenced operations under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Anurag Singh.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that a fund of ₹1,000 crore has been allocated for the plan to make the Yamuna pollution-free.
Lieutenant Colonel Anurag Singh, the Commanding Officer of the Yamuna Task Force, said, “The Indian Army and the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, decided to set up the Yamuna Task Force here… People’s hopes and expectations are tied to the Indian Army’s involvement in this, and we will always live up to them.”
Anurag Singh explained that the Yamuna Task Force was formed in March as part of the Territorial Army’s 137 Composite Ecological Task Force Battalion (commonly known as the ‘Ganga Battalion’ and based in Prayagraj). He stated that the cleaning of the Yamuna should not be viewed merely as a challenge, but as a systematic and achievable mission aimed at bringing about positive change.
The Task Force has prepared a comprehensive action plan with clear objectives and measurable outcomes. Anurag Singh stated that a steering committee oversees this initiative and meets every fortnight.
Lieutenant Colonel Anurag Singh added, “We have outlined our annual, weekly, and daily schedules, which are result-oriented, measurable, and focused on tangible outcomes. Therefore, given these arrangements, I view this not as a challenge, but as an opportunity for collaboration between the public and the Indian Army.”
He mentioned that the Yamuna Task Force comprises two officers, five Junior Commissioned Officers, and 125 soldiers.
The officer said that the Task Force’s mandate involves patrolling a roughly 22-kilometer stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi, raising awareness about the importance of clean rivers, and preventing the dumping of garbage and other waste into the river.
The Yamuna faces threats not only from polluted water and sewage drains but also from the mindset of people who dispose of leftover or used ritual materials into the river. They believe in immersing sacred items into the river they revere. Everything from damaged idols of deities to books, flowers, leaves, coconuts, prasad (offerings), and even clothes end up in the Yamuna.
During festivals like Ganeshotsav and Durga Puja, large numbers of idols—coated in various paints and colors—are immersed in Indian rivers. These chemical-laden paints not only increase river pollution but also harm aquatic life.
