The Delhi government has made restoration of the Yamuna one of its flagship priorities. It has promised to clean the river and restore its ecological vitality. This is a long overdue project. Today, the Yamuna is overwhelmed by untreated sewage and industrial waste and, in the dry season, it is often reduced to patches of stagnant water. Its wetlands have disappeared and biodiversity has sharply declined. The restoration project has, however, taken a troubling turn in recent weeks. Hundreds of families living along stretches of the Yamuna floodplain have received eviction notices asking them to vacate their homes or face demolition. These settlements are officially classified as “encroachments” under Delhi’s Master Plan because they fall within the ecologically sensitive O-Zone meant to protect the floodplain. The ecological rationale behind protecting floodplains is, therefore, not difficult to understand. Healthy floodplains absorb excess water, prevent erosion and recharge groundwater.…