Toxics Alert: Yamuna remains on the list of worst polluted

Inestimable efforts and huge sums of money have gone into resuscitation of the Yamuna, but the river within the limits of the city remains the “worst affected”. The river has again found mention in the list of the worst polluted ones drawn up by the Central Pollution Control Board. According to the latest status of water quality in India-2007 released by the Board, the Yamuna’s water quality at Okhla and Nizammudin bridges has been described as the worst affected. As per data on the water quality of water bodies and groundwater locations, it was placed seventh on the list of rivers with the highest bio-chemical oxygen demand, one of the most important indicators of pollution. The report says the level of dissolved oxygen is observed more than 4 mg/l in river Narmada, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarni, Subernarekha and Beas throughout the year whereas values less than 4 mg/l are observed in stretches of the Yamuna (0.0 mg/l) and at few locations downstream of urban settlements due to discharge of untreated and partially treated wastewater, which is responsible for high oxygen demand. The report goes on to say that the water quality of the Yamuna has deteriorated at Paonta Sahib, Kalanaur, Sonepat, Palla, Nizammudin, Okhla, Mazawali, Mathura, Agra, Bateshwar, Etawah, Juhika and Allahabad and the Western Yamuna Canal downstream of Yamuna Nagar at Damla is “grossly polluted due to municipal and industrial waste water disposal”.

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Yamuna remains on the list of worst polluted

Source: The Hindu, New Delhi, Date: , 2009