Yamuna: Delhi can't blame Haryana alone (Times of India 18 February 2011)

NEW DELHI: In the ongoing tussle between Delhi and Haryana over who pollutes the Yamuna more, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data shows that the capital really doesn't have much of a defence. Since it taps all the raw water that comes to it from Haryana, only sewage flows through the Delhi stretch.
Downstream Agra gets practically black water. Some infusion of fresh water takes place when the river gets joined by a fresh water channel from Hindon after it leaves Delhi, but even after treatment, this water is not fit for drinking. "At Palla, just before the river enters the city, it has good levels of dissolved oxygen. Soon after, the water is lifted at Wazirabad and what flows through Delhi is only sewage. There is no oxygen in the river and lots of toxins. The degraded quality of the river is evident by the fact that there is no fish in the Delhi stretch," said a CPCB official.
After a Supreme Court order, CPCB has been monitoring various stretches of the river on pH, total dissolved solids, chemical oxygen demand, bio-chemical oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen. Dissolved oxygen, of which a minimum of 4mg/l is needed, is zero in the Delhi stretch for almost the entire year with a slight improvement only after monsoon. The total dissolved solids also go up to more than 1,000mg/l. The bio-chemical oxygen demand, a measure of the oxygen needed by micro-organisms to decompose waste, goes up to 85mg/l, indicating presence of massive waste material in the water.
"The river is in a pathetic condition and we are in the process of upgrading our sewage treatment plants and setting up the interceptor sewage system so that in the next 3-4 years we are able to send cleaner water downstream. Our mandate is to supply irrigation quality water at Okhla. While that is not happening right now, we will be able to manage it in the next few years. However, Haryana is supposed to supply optimum quality water at Wazirabad since it is entirely meant for drinking purposes," said Ramesh Negi, CEO, Delhi Jal Board. On Sunday, the levels of ammonia and chloride suddenly went up in the river due to presence of untreated sewage and industrial discharge in the Yamuna. Delhi was forced to shut down two if its treatment plants as they are not equipped to treat such high levels of pollutants. However, sources said such incidents place about twice or thrice a year. "At Okhla, the river meets the Shahdara drain, and till the time this water reaches Mathura and Agra, there is only one point where there is any fresh water incursion. This too has been happening since the past few years since Agra was unable to treat the water it got otherwise. Even now, despite several levels of treatment, it cannot be consumed. This problem will not be resolved till Delhi starts cleaning its sewage. At present, not only are its STPs not working to capacity, there are several unauthorized colonies and settlements which discharge sewage directly into the river," said government sources.