Yamuna Pollution Remains Alarming as Majority of STPs Fail to Meet Norms
The Yamuna River remains heavily polluted, with the latest April assessment by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) revealing that 16 out of 37 sewage treatment plants (STPs) failed to meet environmental standards.
According to the report, faecal coliform levels—a key indicator of sewage contamination—were alarmingly high, recording 1.5 million MPN/100 ml by the time the river exits the capital. This is three times higher than the permissible limit of 500 MPN/100 ml.
Despite government claims of river cleaning initiatives, the report states that health markers for the Yamuna are worse than expected, indicating minimal progress in improving the river’s condition.
Key Findings from the DPCC Report:
- STP Failure: 16 of 37 sewage treatment plants (STPs) did not meet required treatment standards.
- Coliform Contamination: April’s faecal coliform levels were at 15 lakh MPN/100 ml, down from 1.6 crore MPN/100 ml in February, but still far above safe limits.
- Phosphate Levels: Levels peaked at 5.77 mg/l in March, attributed to detergent and textile industry discharge, before slightly improving to 1.92 mg/l in April.
- Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): The BOD was recorded at 56 mg/l in April, far above the acceptable threshold of 3 mg/l. High BOD indicates poor water quality and low oxygen content, harmful for aquatic life.
- Dissolved Oxygen (DO): DO levels remained critically low, making the water almost biologically dead as it exits the city.
Untreated Waste a Major Contributor
The Najafgarh and Shahdara drains remain major sources of untreated and partially treated sewage entering the river, further degrading water quality.
A separate analysis of Delhi Jal Board’s STPs showed similar trends, where 16 plants failed different performance parameters.
