India News | DJB Seeks Support from UP, Haryana to Contain Pollution in Yamuna

New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) Amid reports of frothing in the Yamuna, DJB vice chairman Raghav Chadha on Monday sought cooperation from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to contain pollution in the river.

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has been continuously working to upgrade and augment the capacities of its sewage treatment plants so that untreated effluents are not released into Yamuna, he said.

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“The Okhla barrage falls under the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department, and because of its lackadaisical attitude, water hyacinths grow in abundance here. When these hyacinths decompose, they release surfactants like phosphates,” Chadha said in a statement.

“When this water containing huge amounts of surfactants like phosphates falls in Kalindi Kunj from a height, it produces foam which gradually accumulates and floats on the surface of the water,” he explained.

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Besides, the paper and sugar industries operating in Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh also release untreated waste water containing surfactants, which is then released into Yamuna through Hindon canal at Okhla barrage near Indira Kunj. This causes foam to grow and accumulate in the Yamuna, he said.

“UP's untreated dirty water reaches Delhi through Shahdara drain, and Haryana's untreated dirty water reaches us through Najafgarh drain. Both cause immense water pollution in the Okhla barrage,” Chadha said.

"Frothing in the Yamuna is not Delhi's problem alone. We will need cooperation from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to keep the river clean," he said.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had Sunday raised concerns over pollution and frothing in the river and asked Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to ensure effective sewage treatment. It also sought an action taken report from them by December 15.

According to a CPCB statement, the monitoring of 22 drains in Delhi has found 14 drains “untapped and discharging sewage”.

In the past, the CPCB observed froth formation and increase in ammonia levels in the Yamuna because of discharge of untreated sewage, non-operation of existing STPs, improper functioning of effluent treatment plants installed by the industries and common effluent treatment plants located on the banks of the river.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)