Lok Sabha Question No. 3892 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-18
Subject: Pollution in River Yamuna
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Ramesh Bidhuri

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3892

ANSWERED ON 1 8.03 .2021

## POLLUTION IN RIVER Y AMUNA

## 3892. SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether Delhi is number one city in releasing the most pollutants in river Yamuna and if thereof;

(b) the steps taken by the Union Government to clean river Yamuna; and

(c) whethe r any special direction has been given to the Government of Delhi to check release in river Yamuna and if so, the detials thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a)Yamuna River has almost no fresh water downstream of Wajirabad barrage in Delhi except season. There is a critical path of 22 km of river Yamuna in Delhi where 18 major drains d River Yamuna.

As per Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) report of January, 2021, estimated sewag generation  in  Delhi  is  about  3273  Million  Litres  per  Day  (MLD)  (720  MGD)  while  installe treatment capacity is about 2715 MLD (597 MGD), out of which about 2432 MLD (535 MGD) sewag being treated in Delhi. Thus, about 941 MLD (185 MGD) of sewage is finding its ways in river various drains. Besides, 13 Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) of 212 MLD capacity exi industrial clusters in Delhi and as per report, all these CETPs are non- compliant.

Bio- chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of river Yamuna at Palla (entry point of Delhi) is 2.0 mg/l which falls in Class B (outdoor bathing) as per designated best use of water by Ce Control Board (CPCB). BOD of River Yamuna in Delhi stretch increases to 4.8 - 40 mg/l downstream of Wajirabad barrage to Okhla which indicates that the sewage treatment capacity is not sufficie

(b) Presently in Delhi, under Namami Gange Programme, a total of 13 projects have been taken up with a sanctioned cost  of  Rs. 2419 crore to abate the pollution in river Yamuna. These projects are stages of implementation. Through these projects, a total of 1384.5 MLD (304 MGD) sewage capacities will be created in Delhi.

(c) Directions were issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to Delhi Pollution Control Commit dated 16.8.2018 under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 against sub - optimal functioning of CETPs as well as reutilization o f treated waste water in the State of Delhi. In addition, as r CPCB, directions were also issued to Delhi Jal Board (DJB) dated 19.02.2019 under the said non- complying sewage treatment plants operating in Delhi.

Central Monitoring Co mmittee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shak been monitoring the progress in implementation of Action Plan for the State of Delhi includ projects for abatement of pollution in the river Yamuna in a time bound manner. The Committee has also directed the NCT of Delhi for completing their initiatives without any further delay.

The  matter  of  increased  pollution  levels  in  river  Yamuna  due  to  discharge  of  po petitioned by Delhi Jal Board (WP - Civil No.8/2021 DJB vs State of Haryana & Others) has been taken as Suo Moto Writ Petition (Civil) 'Remediation of Polluted Rivers' no. 1/2021 by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India and the matter is being heard thereof.

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