Yamuna's life-sustaining capacity nearly non-existent in Delhi: Parliamentary panel report
What's the story
A report by a parliamentary panel has found that the Yamuna river is almost lifeless in its Delhi stretch.
The study found that 23 out of 33 sites monitored, including six in the national capital, did not meet even basic standards of water quality.
The shocking discovery by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources was presented in Parliament on Tuesday.
Persistent pollution
Pollution levels remain high despite sewage treatment plants
Despite the construction and upgradation of sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Delhi and UP, pollution levels remain alarmingly high, the parliamentary panel's report on the Upper Yamuna River Cleaning Project and riverbed management in Delhi said.
It also flagged legacy sludge in the riverbed, adding that a study conducted by the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department in collaboration with CSIR-NEERI found high levels of heavy metals like chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc in sludge samples.
Environmental concerns
Yamuna riverbed in Delhi shows high levels of heavy metals
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) studied the water quality at 33 locations during January 2021-May 2023.
Four parameters were taken into consideration: Dissolved Oxygen (DO), pH, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Fecal Coliform (FC).
The analysis revealed that all four monitored sites in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh passed the requisite requirements, however all six Haryana sites failed. In Delhi, none of the seven sites met the standards in 2021, although the Palla site improved in 2022 and 2023.
Floodplain restoration
Parliamentary panel urges removal of encroachments
The parliamentary panel asked the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to work in tandem with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the state governments to speed up the process of removing encroachments and restoring the floodplain ecosystem.
It also noted that Haryana is not releasing sufficient water.
According to the 1994 MoU among Yamuna basin states, Haryana must discharge 10 cumecs of water to maintain ecological balance.
However, the committee said this flow is insufficient.
Pollution impact
Study indicates ecological damage due to pollution
The report also noted that almost 22 major drains empty untreated sewage into the Yamuna directly.
The panel noted that lack of dissolved oxygen has drastically harmed aquatic life, with dead fish being washed ashore in Agra and Mathura.
It suggested that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change study to evaluate ecological damage due to pollution.