State PCS - Uttar Pradesh (UP PCS)

• 13 Oct 2025

Gomti Rejuvenation Mission

Why in News? 

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the ‘Gomti Rejuvenation Mission’, aimed at ensuring the uninterrupted flow and ecological restoration of the Gomti River.  

• The mission sets an ambitious target of intercepting 95% of urban sewage flowing into the river, marking a major step toward its environmental and cultural revival. 

Key Points 

• Scope and Objectives: The mission encompasses the entire river basin from Pilibhit to Ghazipur, to restore the Gomti to its clean, uninterrupted, and pristine form.  
• Proposed Steps: 
  • Additional drains will be diverted to existing Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). 
  • New treatment plants will be established, and older ones upgraded. 
  • Track boats, floating barriers, and excavators will be deployed to ensure proper cleaning and monitoring. 
  • To address encroachment and flow reduction caused by illegal constructions, directives were issued to prepare district-specific action plans to restore the river’s natural course. 
• Objectives: 
  • Creation of new wetlands, such as Ekana Wetland and Sajan Lake in Lucknow. 
  • Campaigns for the removal of encroachments, the beautification of ghats, and the promotion of green corridors. 
  • Strict enforcement of the single-use plastic ban to prevent river pollution and sewer blockages. 
  • Public awareness programmes under the guidance of educational and social institutions to make it a mass movement. 
• Administrative Framework: The Gomti Task Force, constituted in January 2025 under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), will spearhead implementation. 
  • It includes representatives from the State Clean Ganga Mission, Irrigation Department, Pollution Control Board, Jal Nigam, Lucknow Municipal Corporation, and Lucknow Development Authority, along with environmental experts. 
• Monitoring Mechanism: The Chief Minister directed that: 
  • Monthly review meetings of the Gomti Task Force be held. 
  • Quarterly progress reports be submitted to the Chief Minister’s Office. 
  • Adequate financial and logistical support be ensured for uninterrupted work. 
• Current Status: Thirty-nine major drains discharge into the river, of which 13 remain untreated, while six STPs are currently operational along its course.

Gomti River 

• Gomti is a 960-km long tributary of the Ganga River.  
• It originates from Madho Tanda in Pilibhit district and merges with the Ganga at Kaithi in Ghazipur.