Supreme Court today expressed anguish over tardy progress in cleaning of river Yamuna and appointed an expert committee to find out what has been achieved in the last 18 years by governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana after spending thousands of crores of rupees for the purpose.

A bench of justices Swatanter Kumar and Madan B Lokur also asked the 2-member committee, comprising of a member each from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Delhi Jal Board, to examine the feasibility of blocking the drains which discharge untreated waste water into the river and submit its report by November 9.

The apex court, meanwhile, directed the Centre to place before it the Yamuna Action Plan.

Earlier this week, the UP and Delhi governments, along with DJB and the New Delhi Municipal Committee, had submitted before the apex court that they have together spent 4,439 crore Rs in the last 18 years to implement the apex court's directions to make the river water potable.The court was hearing the issue of cleaning up of Yamuna which it had taken suo motu cognisance of on the basis of newspaper reports way back in 1994.