Reduced to a drain: Will Yamuna ever get cleaned?

Pallavi Majumdar / TNN / Aug 6, 2004, 01:34 IST

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NEW DELHI: Polluted, dirty and stinking. That's what Yamuna remains today, more than a decade after the government took up the cause of the dying river. Crores have been spent in the process, but the government has failed where it matters the most -- Delhi alone contributes around 3,296 MLD (million litres per day) of sewage by virtue of drains outfalling in Yamuna.

Reduced to a drain: Will Yamuna ever get cleaned?

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">Failed Where It Matters Most: Delhi Alone Contributes 3,296 MLD Of Sewage Falling Into River NEW DELHI: Polluted, dirty and stinking. That''s what Yamuna remains today, more than a decade after the government took up the cause of the dying river.Crores have been spent in the process, but the government has failed where it matters the most -- Delhi alone contributes around 3,296 MLD (million litres per day) of sewage by virtue of drains outfalling in Yamuna. A walk along the banks of the Yamuna completes the picture of the "dead" river. It is filthy -- plastics, putrefying garlands, rubbish along with other toxic and domestic wastes have made it black. Dirty scum floats on the water. Close to 3.5 lakh people live in the slums along its embankment. Sewage This is the main culprit. With the 30 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in the city operating far below their capacity, barely 55% of the Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) load generated in the city, is reduced due to treatment. Of the 3,296 MLD sewage generated, only 1,478 MLD -- or 45% -- actually gets treated, according to an inspection of the city''s STPs conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in November and December last year. More so, the existing capacity of the sewage treatment plants in the city is only 71% of the total waste generated, a CPCB scientist said. Industrial Effluent The 10 Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) constructed after a 1996 Supreme Court order, are not functioning. As a result, effluents from almost 28 industrial areas in the city are being discharged into the Yamuna -- untreated. This, despite spending a mammoth Rs 250 crore on setting up these plants. The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) realised this only during a surprise check of the CETPs on December 19, 2003. While most CETPs were non-functional due to lack of funds, a few were out-of-order due to technical snags. The three-member panel, set up following the Apex court''s order, noted: "Not only is there a complete and total waste of funds, but also the purpose for which these plants were ordered has been negated." Jhuggi Relocation Some 3.5 lakh people have been living in the 62,000 jhuggis that have come up on the Yamuna river bed. It was former urban development minister Jagmohan''s idea to re-locate them and develop the water front. But, only a fraction have been removed. Yamuna Action Plan Amount approved for the original phase of the Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) was Rs 196.209 crore and included the setting up of a crematorium and two STPs. Subsequently, Rs 166.4 crore was allotted in the extended phase with the construction of community toilet complexes, micro and mini sewage plants and were also to be used for public awareness. Under the YAP-II, formulated by the Union ministry of environment and forests, Delhi has been sanctioned Rs 387.17 crore. The cost will be shared on 85:15 basis between the Union and the Delhi government. The implementation is yet to begin.</div> </div>

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