India, Jan. 17 -- The Delhi government on Friday commissioned an advanced amphibious dredger and three supporting barges at the Najafgarh drain, a move expected to help with desilting and waste removal in the channel responsible for nearly 70% of the pollution load entering the Yamuna, officials said.

The deployment by the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department is part of Delhi government's effort to clean the Capital's major stormwater and sewage channels. The new equipment will be used to remove silt, sludge, floating waste, and aquatic weeds from the drain, which is among the largest conduits of untreated wastewater into the Yamuna, officials said.

I&FC minister Parvesh Verma, who commissioned the machinery, stated that the i...