According to a study, the Yamuna river, which travels 29 thousand kilometres, is the most polluted from Delhi to Etawah in UP.
Originating from the Yamunotri glacier, Yamuna passes through seven states. This river meets the daily needs of 57 million residents. But what do we give it in return?
Well! You know the answer, pollution.?
We will come back to the poor plight of the river but first discuss why the river has garnered attention again?
Delhi, with an estimated population of 20 million requires around 1,200 million gallons per day (MGD). According to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the water levels in Yamuna are depleting resulting in the fall of water production at the three water treatment plants (WTPs) by around 25%-30%.
The DJB also stated Haryana refuted to release of raw water from the state. Thus the supply of water supply is likely to be affected from till the pond level improves.
In an interview with the Indian Express, a senior official of the DJB said, ¡°The river is dry and water production at Chandrawal, Wazirabad and Okhla has fallen by around 25%-30%. The current level of the Wazirabad pond, which is around 669 ft, is the lowest so far this year. The water being released from Haryana is less,¡±?
¡°The quantity of water being released is less, both directly into the river and through the other sources. Demand is higher in the summer, and supply is now low with the river drying up,¡± the official added.
Nearly 90% of the water needs of Delhi are met by Ganga and Yamuna river waters. The rising temperatures result in the drying up of Yamuna. ¡°Demand is higher in the summer, and supply is now low with the river drying up,¡± the official told the Indian Express.
According to the Economic Survey of Delhi, the 3 Water Treatment Plants that supply Delhi together produce around 230 MGD (million gallons per day) ¡ª 90 MGD comes from Chandrawal, 120 MGD from Wazirabad and 20 MGD from Okhla. The total water resources of the Delhi Jal Board are 953 MGD. Of this, 389 MGD comes from Yamuna river, Ganga river supplies 253 MGD, Ravi Beas water from Bhakra storage supplies 221 MGD and 90 MGD comes from groundwater and tube well sources, as reported by Times Now.
In 1994, a memorandum of understanding was signed to allocate of surface flow of the river among states. The states that signed the agreement include Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh. Significantly, being a landlocked state, Delhi relies on its neighbouring states for supply.
The Haryana irrigation department has claimed of releasing the share of Delhi and the water demand of the capital is rising while the share decided by the Upper Yamuna River Board has remained the same.
The waste or sewage from houses, chemicals and toxic coming out of the industries etc. have ruined the quality of the Yamuna water. The ecosystem of this river has completely deteriorated. The river has turned into black water and white foam on top of it and almost no oxygen is left in the water. The rising level of ammonia is a big concern as it has 5 times above the treatable limit of 0.9ppm. It harms aquatic life and the mysterious death of fishes can also be linked to ammonia toxicity.
A report came in the year 2018. A committee was constituted by the National Green Tribunal, which was directed to make an action plan and detailed report on cleaning the river by December 2019.
The committee submitted its report to the Delhi government, under which the Yamuna river passes through Delhi only 54 km between Palla to Badarpur, the 22 km stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla is less than two per cent of the total length of the river, but it has 76 per cent pollution.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to stop farming activities on the Yamuna river floods in the national capital.
The NGT has directed the DDA to retrieve and demarcate the entire Yamuna floodplain within three months. Also, three more months have been given to DDA to convert this area into a Bio-diversity Park.
As per the NGT order, the DDA will have to take back the encroached floodplains within three months. And such areas have to be converted into Bio-Diversity Parks.
The NGT bench headed by Chairperson Justice Adarsh ??Kumar Goel also said that from the day of this judgment till April 1, 2020, the DDA will be liable to pay Rs 5 lakh per month.
The DDA has also been directed to install CCTVs on the flood plains to prevent encroachment, cultivation and dumping of waste there.
In the last 20 years, the Yamuna floodplain spread over 97 square kilometres in Delhi has been destroyed due to illegal colonies, settlements and uncontrolled sewage discharge.
The water of the Yamuna river has become polluted to such an extent that it accumulates in the form of clots at places. Plastic has taken over the river. Plastic floating on the river has become common in the water.
Even today, we humans are not deterred from making this river dirty in the name of religion.? Nothing is new in that the worship materials are thrown not only in the Yamuna but in all rivers.
The condition of the rivers is very poor, but still, we do not refrain from throwing garbage in them. We almost killed the life of the life-giving rivers. On occasions like Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Puja, we also see the immersion of idols every year.?
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) held the World Cultural Festival held on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi two years ago in March for the damage in the Yamuna floodplain. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's organization Art of Living Foundation organized this event despite the NGT's refusal.
The Art of Living went to court against the NGT's decision, during which the court had said that the submerged area of ??Yamuna should not be used for any such activity which causes damage to the environment. However, the court, while not giving a decision regarding the event, said that it is out of its jurisdiction.
However, this mega event happened and the voices raised by activists and NGT did not have much effect on anyone. After this, the committee constituted on this event gave its report. According to this report, due to this event, a lot of damage was caused to flood-prone areas on the banks of the river. Along with this, it will cost 13.29 crores to fix it and most importantly it will take a long time of about 10 years to bring it back to that condition.
The program organized in the name of spirituality destroyed the flood area of ??Yamuna river. The committee had said, "It is estimated that about 120 hectares (about 300 acres) of flood area on the western side (right bank) of Yamuna river and about 50 hectares (120 acres) on the eastern side (left bank) of the river Yamuna. The floodplains have been adversely affected ecologically.¡±
However, the NGT imposed an interim environmental fine of Rs 5 crore on the Foundation for the damage caused to the environment. The damage caused by this fine can hardly be compensated.
In the year 2017, Uttarakhand High Court had given the status of a living person to the Ganga, Yamuna and its tributaries. This means that rivers also have the right to live and in such a situation humans should treat them the same way they treat other human beings.
But, the government filed its petition in the Supreme Court against this decision. In this petition, the government put a stay on the decision of the Uttarakhand High Court, keeping in view many reasons.
One of the few arguments made by the government was that, if the river is believed to be alive, will it be punished for taking lives, and this right will not be useful even in the event of a flood.
To restore the river the Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) was introduced in 1993. It is a bilateral project between the Indian government and Japan. Japan offered loan assistance for the implementation of the project.?
The two phases YAP II and YAP III were initiated in 2004 and 2008 respectively.?
According to a report published in Amar Ujala, the Uttar Pradesh Control Board had given a report on the pollution of Yamuna river in the year 2018. This report brought the Jal Nigam and Yamuna Action Plan into question.
The Yamuna river in Agra and Mathura seems to be the dirtiest and drain-like in the entire state. Whereas under this plan, the maximum expenditure has been incurred for cleaning.
In the name of cleaning the Yamuna river, Rs 1500 crore was spent in the Yamuna Action Plan and a plan of Rs 1174 crore was redrawn. While Rs 460 crore has been given for cleaning Yamuna under the Namami Gange scheme. But, the Yamuna remained the same and even worse.
Yamuna, which has taken the form of a drain due to pollution in Mathura and Agra, once again takes the form of a river in Chambal. In such a situation, why is Yamuna not being cleaned again like other places??
For this, the irresponsible government including the citizens of this country is to blame. If we do not stop polluting the rivers, then tomorrow can be even heavier on us.
In the last 25 years, the government had spent 5 thousand crores to clean the Yamuna, but the situation remained the same. Big claims of cleanliness by the government proved to be false but a miraculous change was seen during the lockdown period.
Dr. Rajiv Chauhan, Conservation Officer of Wildlife Institute of India-Dehradun, has been studying the Yamuna river for the last 30 years. He said, "I have been associated with Yamuna Action Plan since the year 2000 and I have never seen this river clean. I am surprised to see the effect of lockdown on rivers."
In addition, according to the findings of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, a comparison was made between the figures before and after the lockdown in Delhi, after which the Yamuna became 33 per cent clean. Also, the quality of the water near Mathura was improved.?
Environment Conservator Diwan Singh said that the rivers cleaned themselves due to their biological potential. Now it is the responsibility of the government that the pollution of Yamuna does not increase again due to industrial waste.
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