Despite the recommendations of the planning commission, the Yamuna was somewhat sidelined in this year's budget. Other than the interceptor sewage system, which will not be in place before 2012, and installing sewerage systems in unauthorised colonies, which has been in the pipeline since last year, no new proposals were floated. Under the Yamuna Action Plan, Delhi was allocated Rs 573.73 crore for cleaning the river but pollution levels have only gone up. The government seems to be banking heavily on Delhi Jal Board's ambitious interceptor sewage system. Meanwhile, the government has promised to work on rehabilitation of 50 km of trunk sewers to ensure full capacity utilisation of the 30 sewage treatment plants in Delhi. Providing a sewerage system in rural villages and unauthorised colonies are also on the cards. The budget also spoke of the 25 paise per litre cess on diesel, announced recently by chief minister Sheila Dikshit. The government's policy on diesel had been criticised after an official announced that the government would ban all diesel vehicles in the Capital. In a placatory move, Dikshit later announced a cess on diesel, saying that the funds collected that way would be used to promote clean fuel technology in the city. In tune with this, the government has decided to phase out all 15-year-old light commercial vehicles. Owners of such vehicles will be provided with subsidy equivalent to the VAT on the purchase of new light commercial vehicles. Part of the funds created from the diesel cess is supposed to be used for this phase-out. The government sayst Delhi's green cover had gone up and might even have crossed the 300 sq km mark in 2007. Nine new city forests had been developed and 14 old city forests redensified. toireporter@timesgroup.com