Review 1994 water pact to revive Yamuna: Experts

NEW DELHI: The Centre may have assured the Yamuna Muktikaran Abhiyan protesters that the “ecological flow” in the river will be restored in Delhi, but experts say this can’t be done without revisiting the 1994 water sharing agreement between Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
They suggest that the central government should review the MoU to leave at least some fresh water to the river which can help revive life in it. The reason Yamuna is dead in Delhi in other downstream areas because almost all of its freshwater flow from Yamunotri is diverted at Hathnikund barrage in Haryana to meet drinking water and irrigation needs of the five states. What is left is sewage and industrial effluents, most of which is untreated.

Officials from Upper Yamuna River Board told TOI that the 1994 MoU has an inbuilt clause that it can be revisited only after 2025. The other reason why the ministry of water resources cannot intervene is because the allotment for states was done by a high-powered committee set up by the Supreme Court.

“I think the deadlock can be addressed if the ministry of environment, forests and climate change can pass an order under the Environment Protection Act. But to be honest, if the water given to states is reduced there will be a new set of disputes. Drinking water cannot be touched because it’s a basic need. And if the irrigation water is cut, farmers will agitate,” said a board official.

Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan (YJA) says it’s absolutely important not to compromise the river’s natural or ecological flow in the lean season, particularly from December 15 to February 15. “I think the only solution to Yamuna’s problem is to ensure a minimum flow by changing the MoU,” he said.

According to A L Ramanathan, professor of environmental geology at JNU, there is no standard or specific quantity that can be considered optimum environmental flow for a river. “It is the basic flow that sustains flora and fauna in the river. For Yamuna, I think this can be done only by harvesting water in a massive way along the river. All the excess water has to be brought into it. But where is the space for that? If the government marks large spaces along floodplains, it can be done,” he said.

The glaciers feeding into Yamunotri are also on the retreat according to some studies, which will make water availability in the river even more difficult in the future. This apart, sewage treatment in the cities has to be done in tandem so that the ecological flow is maintained. “All the sewage has to be treated, preferably secondary treatment and all industries should be zero discharge to achieve eco flow,” said Himanshu Thakkar of South Asia Network of Rivers, Dams and People.