Key Points

He mocked former CM Arvind Kejriwal, saying he failed to keep his word on taking dip in clean Yamuna water. "When his cut-out was make to take a dip in the Yamuna even that landed in Safdarjung Hospital with sickness," he said.

He was speaking at an event to launch 18 projects worth Rs 1,816 crore, including projects for sewage treatment to prevent Yamuna's pollution.

HM Shah also recalled the contribution of late BJP MP and former Delhi BJP chief Vijay Kumar Malhotra in improving the city.

He said, "Just two days back, Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed 24 years as a head of government as PM and CM."

"PM Modi is a towering personality who has pioneered several steps to realise the dream of freedom fighters. He delivered good governance and take the nation on the road to development around the centenary of Independence," he said.

HM Shah said that the 80 per cent projects inaugurated or whose foundation was laid on Thursday are linked to cleaning the Yamuna.

Within seven months, PM Modi has already made a plan to clean the Yamuna from Yamunotri to Prayagraj.

He said, "The Aapda government in Delhi did nothing to clean the river. Their CM announced that he would clean the river and take a dip in it. He did not keep his promise but when Parvesh Sahib Singh dipped his cut-out in the polluted river, even that landed sick in Safdarjung Hospital."

Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta hit out at the previous Delhi government of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for not making the most of the assistance of Rs 2,000 crore offered by the Centre for cleaning the Yamuna.

She slammed the failure of the previous government to utilise the funds offered for the purpose by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and HM Shah.

Highlighting her government's seriousness towards cleaning the river, CM Gupta said, "Our government has begun work on cleaning the river by undertaking drone and physical survey of the 22 large and 200 small drains that fall into the Yamuna."

"I wish to thank the Central government and HM Amit Shah for supporting our efforts," she said.

"I want to reiterate that this is just the beginning of our commitment to serve the people and many more initiatives are in store in future," she said.

The 18 projects worth Rs 1,816 crore inaugurated by HM Shah include expansion and setting up of Sewage Treatment Plants at Kondli, Kehopur, Rohini, Coronation Pillar, Narela, Yamuna Vihar and Najafgarh.

The projects also include Siraspur and other water reservoirs and pumping stations.

- IANS