Fri May 09 05:26:56 UTC 2025: ## Yamuna River’s Pollution Crisis Demands Systemic Reform, Says CSE Report
**New Delhi, May 9, 2025** – A new report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has sounded the alarm on the heavily polluted Yamuna River, urging immediate and sweeping reforms to revive it. The report, titled “Yamuna: The Agenda for Cleaning the River,” highlights the critical need to address systemic failures in sewage treatment and industrial pollution.
The CSE criticizes the current approach, noting that treated sewage water is often discharged into already polluted drains, rendering the treatment ineffective. The report emphasizes the need for each sewage treatment plant (STP) to plan not just for treatment, but also for the responsible discharge of treated effluents.
A major contributor to the problem is the Najafgarh and Shahdara drains, which account for a staggering 84% of the pollution load entering the Yamuna. The report recommends a complete overhaul of strategies for managing these drains. Furthermore, it calls for increased river flow through measures such as reduced water intake, improved storage, and direct discharge of clean, treated water.
The report also expresses concern over unchecked industrial pollution from units operating in unauthorized areas, escaping regulatory oversight. Alarmingly high faecal coliform levels underscore the severity of sewage contamination, leading the CSE to describe the river as a “sewage canal.”
CSE Director General Sunita Narain stressed that despite years of investment and legal action, the Yamuna shows no signs of improvement. She emphasized that a solution requires more than just money, calling for a fundamental shift in thinking and action to effectively tackle this critical environmental challenge. A “dead Yamuna,” Ms. Narain warned, poses a significant threat not only to Delhi but also to downstream cities reliant on the river for clean water.
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