Pollution in Yamuna is at its worst – Shows UPPCB Data: The UPPCB (Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board) data shows that the pollution is worsened in the Yamuna river. The Yamuna river is entering into the Noida city with no dissolved oxygen and exiting with a higher level of pollution.
The UPPCB report has not mentioned the data for industrial effluents like arsenic, mercury, etc. Only the basic parameters like Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) were tested and found the pollution at a very high level.
As per the data, the Yamuna river’s DO was nil at Okhla barrage in May 2024. This barrage is the entry point of Yamuna.
The minimum required amount of DO for category D (propagation of aquatic life) is 4 mg/l and for category A (drinking) is 6 mg/l.
According to the UPPCB report, Yamuna water is falling under category E, only in the Noida city in UP state. That means water is unfit for drinking even after disinfection and conventional treatment, bathing, and survival of aquatic organisms.
The river has entered the city at Okhla barrage with the 1.4 mg/l DO in the January month only. But this has died at Tilwada where the polluted Hindon river is meeting. These two rivers are not supporting aquatic life.
Praveen Kumar, regional officer of UPPCB said that for the pollution in the Yamuna, the untapped sewage from the Shahdara drain was responsible. It was entering from Delhi. The additional pollutants are the Hindon river and the Kondli drain.
He said, “after the Okhla barrage, near sector 15A, the Shahdara drain is meeting the Yamuna river. The drain is untapped and hence brings effluents that fall directly into the river. For the pollution, this one is the major source. Next to it is the Kondli drain, which is originating in Delhi. Then Hindon water. From time to time, the pollutants in the drains are varying.”
