Delhi govt asked to control Yamuna pollution at source

With 18 sewage outlets of the Capital exacerbating pollution of Yamuna river, the Delhi government has been tasked to address the situation as part of a major clean-up drive. At a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, the government's high-powered committee on water pollution has been asked to take stock of the waste generated and address the situation at the source itself, before the drains discharge into the river.

"Nearly 700 MGD of effluence is being generated every month in the Capital. Of this, Najafgarh and other supplementary drains contribute around 60 per cent by volume and 45 per cent by pollution load. The Shahdara drain contributes around 20 per cent by volume and 25 per cent by pollution load. However, Najafgarh and Shahdara together contribute nearly 70 per cent of the pollution load," said a senior Delhi government official.

Delhi Jal Board, the trifurcated MCD, irrigation and flood control department, DDA, DSIIDC and Upper River Yamuna Board are participating in the project. The committee has directed the stakeholders to capture the entire sewage and send to the sewage treatment plants; the trifurcated MCD has been asked to prevent dumping of garbage in the drain and river, besides carrying out desilting and fencing of the drains.

The L-G had earlier sought a report from a committee - chaired by the chief secretary and comprising special CP (traffic), secretary (environment), commissioner (transport) and additional secretary (DPCC) - with solutions to check pollution.

According to the report, the committee suggested that the government should launch more sewage treatment plants and effluent treatment plants, and restrict discharge of untreated waste water. The recommendations also included construction of boundary walls or putting up of wire meshes along the bigger drains in the city, besides increasing the number of dhalaos. The committee advised installation of online monitoring systems and CCTV cameras along Yamuna.