Fri Nov 08 00:04:52 UTC 2024: ## Delhi’s Yamuna River: A Chemical Cocktail of Pollution
The Yamuna River, which flows through Delhi, undergoes a drastic transformation as it traverses the city, turning from a relatively clean source into a heavily polluted waterway. Despite some efforts to address the issue, the river continues to face a cocktail of contamination from various sources, including industrial waste, sewage, and detergents.
The river’s journey starts at Palla, where it meets pollution norms. However, this quickly changes as it encounters the Najafgarh drain, which carries a significant portion of Delhi’s sewage and industrial waste. This marks the beginning of a drastic decline in water quality, with pollutants reaching up to 30 times the permissible levels by the time the river leaves Delhi.
A major visual manifestation of this pollution is the thick layer of foam that blankets the river surface, particularly during certain seasons. Experts attribute this to the use of detergents and the churning of water due to elevation changes.
Despite government bans on certain detergents and attempts to trap drains by connecting them to sewage treatment plants (STPs), the problem persists. Many industrial units continue to discharge toxic effluents directly into the river, while illegal dyeing operations further contribute to the contamination.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has acknowledged the problem, reporting that 13 out of 18 drains have been connected to STPs. However, major drains like the Najafgarh drain and the Shahdara drain remain untrapped, along with others.
Water quality data from October reveals that none of the 18 drains met the acceptable biological oxygen demand (BOD) levels, highlighting the extent of the contamination.
Activists and experts express concern over the lack of effective enforcement of existing regulations and call for immediate action to prevent further deterioration of the Yamuna River, a vital resource for the city and its inhabitants.
First Piper 