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Cleaning Yamuna will require more than money, it will need a plan: CSE

Lack of data on wastewater generation, direct discharge of faecal sludge from desludging tankers into rivers or drains in several locations, and mixing of treated and untreated sewage in the drains – these are some of key reasons for pollution in Yamuna, Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) stated in an assessment released on Thursday. Sunita Narain, director general of CSE — a research and advocacy organisation — told mediapersons: “The focus of Yamuna Action Plan 2025 has been to build STPs (sewage treatment plants) so that domestic wastewater is intercepted and treated; improve the quality of treatment; build interceptor sewers to tap drains and divert sewage; lay sewage pipeline in unauthorised colonies and treat industrial waste in common effluent treatment plants…” “All are good ideas… all needed. Then why is the Yamuna still polluted?” she asked. She went on to say, “We do not know how much wastewater is generated by Delhi… as there is no clear data on Delhi’s population in the absence of a regular census or on the amount of unofficial water (groundwater and water supplied by tankers) that residents use… Without the data on wastewater, we must rework the plan.” The report, titled ‘Yamuna: The Agenda for Cleaning the River’, noted: “…it is clear that cleaning the river will require more than money. It will need a plan, which recognises the reality that Delhi, like many other cities of India, is a city where the bulk of its people live in unauthorised areas, where sewage is not intercepted and therefore, not treated.” Maintaining that there is a need to intercept the sewage and not release it back into the drains that carry untreated sewage, the report stated that it must also be ensured that the 22 drains opening to Yamuna are releasing only clean water. As per the report, the focus of official actions, while “commendable”, has failed to address the issue of pollution because of concerns like – there is no dissolved oxygen in the river beginning from ISBT; Yamuna becoming polluted at Palla, an area located within a few km of the river entering Delhi; and no visible improvement in the river’s quality. On how the Delhi government has been trying to curb pollution in Yamuna, the report noted a few measures – enhancement of sewage treatment capacity and its utilisation, tighter discharge norms, laying of sewage pipelines in unauthorised colonies, and controlling industrial pollution. While the government has 28 “approved” industrial areas – effluents from 17 of these are treated in common effluent treatment plants – the report noted that “the quality of treatment is a matter of concern”. There is also a lack of clarity on the discharge locations post-treatment of these effluents, it added. The CSE recommended a 5-point action agenda in order of priority: – Ensure all faecal sludge is collected from non-sewered areas and treated. “The state does not have to invest in building and refurbishing costly sewage pipelines. The strategy for faecal sludge management through tankers is faster and more cost-effective,” Narain said, emphasising the need to ensure that all desludging tankers are registered and their movement monitored.

City’s Yamuna-cleaning plan needs reset, not just money, says report

Despite spending more than Rs 6,800 crore and expanding its sewage infrastructure over five years, Delhi has failed to revive its stretch of the Yamuna, which remains biologically dead. A new report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Yamuna: The Agenda for Cleaning the River, calls for a fundamental overhaul of the city’s river-cleaning strategy, urging a shift from infrastructure expansion to smarter governance and planning. The report highlights a troubling disconnect between investment and impact. Delhi has 37 sewage treatment plants (STPs), reportedly covering 84% of its wastewater, with nearly 80% of households connected to the sewer system. Yet, the 22-km stretch of the river in Delhi shows no signs of revival. CSE director-general Sunita Narain said that while the efforts are well-intentioned, they have not delivered results. “A dead Yamuna is not just a civic failure but also jeopardises water security for Delhi and downstream cities,” she said, calling for a new approach that goes beyond money and embraces more effective planning. The report identifies three critical gaps. First, Delhi lacks reliable data on wastewater generation due to outdated population figures and informal water use. Second, unregulated desludging operations in non-sewered areas often result in untreated waste being dumped directly into the river. Third, mixing of treated and untreated sewage, as treated water is discharged into already-contaminated drains, undermines the entire treatment process. While the city has introduced measures such as tighter discharge standards, laying sewer lines in unauthorised colonies, and launching the Interceptor Sewer Project, these have fallen short. According to a 2024 DPCC report, 23 out of 37 STPs still fail to meet the new effluent standards. The water downstream of Wazirabad deteriorates rapidly, with BOD levels falling to zero by the ISBT bridge. CSE’s five-point action plan includes regulating faecal sludge transport, avoiding the mixing of treated and untreated waste and promoting reuse of treated water among others. Key suggestions Bring faecal sludge into the treatment chain Stop discharging treated water into dirty drains Maximise reuse of treated water Upgrade STPs with reuse in mind

Delhiʼs 2%Yamuna Stretch Behind 80% Of Its Pollution:Why PlanNeedsRethink

New Delhi: The Centre for Science and Environment released an agenda report on cleaning the Yamuna in Delhi on Thursday. It suggests that the authorities accept the reality of missing data, reset the current plan and explore a dierent approach, including curbing the contamination of the Najafgarh and Shahdara drains. The report, titled ʻYamuna: The Agenda for Cleaning the River' , emphasised the importance of determining the actual volume of sewage being generated in the city rather than relying on estimations.It also prioritised addressing the large areas still not connected to the sewage network and advised against releasing treated water into the drains. Sunita Narain, director general, CSE, pointed out that while the 22km stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi was merely 2% of the total river, this portion accounted for 80% of the pollution in the river. Though she appreciated the attention the Yamuna was getting, including of the Prime Minister, Narain noted several lacunae in the current plan. She said that while there were 22 drains with outfalls in the river, the Najafgarh and Shahdara drains were responsible for 84% of the total pollution in Delhi.

Reset priorities to clean Yamuna: CSE report

As Delhi nears full capacity for treating sewage waste by expanding its treatment plants, the Yamuna River, once the lifeline of the capital, still struggles to regain its vitality. The issue isn’t a lack of intent, action, or funding, but rather the failure to reassess and adapt strategies, as reports indicate minimal improvement despite meeting planned targets. “We must realise that cleaning the Yamuna will require much more than money. It will need a reworked plan which will guide us towards thinking and acting differently,” said Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment, a Delhi-based climate think tank. Sunita Narain, Director General of CSE, called for a reset in the action agenda for cleaning the Yamuna River in Delhi-NCR, releasing a report Thursday highlighting the need for new strategies. The report highlights that the 22-km stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi, which accounts for barely 2 per cent of the total length of the river basin, contributes over 80 per cent of the pollution load in the entire river. More importantly, the majority of Delhi’s pollution load — a whopping 84 per cent— comes from two drains: Najafgarh and Shahdara. This is despite the launch of the Delhi Jal Board’s Interceptor Sewer Project (ISP) in 2010 for Shahdara, Barapullah, and Najafgarh drains. What are problems in the current action plan and how to fix them? According to CSE experts, three key factors contribute to the Yamuna’s persistent pollution despite decades of cleanup efforts: inaccurate wastewater data, unregulated discharge of untreated waste by untracked desludging tankers, and mixing of treated and untreated wastewater in drains, which re-contaminates the river. These areas require urgent attention to effectively address the pollution. During the conference, Narain explained that accurate population data is essential for calculating Delhi’s water demand and wastewater generation. Without updated census data, “we don’t know how much wastewater Delhi generates,” she said. Furthermore, Delhi’s water needs are partly met by unaccounted sources like groundwater and tanker suppliers, undermining calculations for Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) infrastructure and hindering Yamuna cleaning targets. The CSE report notes that many areas in Delhi, not connected to sewer lines, rely on desludging tankers for waste removal. While supporting this approach, Narain advocates for improved implementation through measures like GPS tracking systems, successfully adopted in some Uttar Pradesh cities, to ensure collected sewage reaches STPs for treatment and reuse. The report highlights a critical issue: treated water from distant drains mixes with untreated wastewater downstream, nullifying treatment efforts. Currently, only 10-15% of treated wastewater is reused. To address this, the report proposes maximizing the reuse of treated water for purposes like agriculture, horticulture, industry, or other non-potable uses, rather than releasing it back into the river and exacerbating pollution.

Delhi's Yamuna-cleaning plan needs reset, not just money: Report

New Delhi: Amid renewed efforts to clean the Yamuna in Delhi, a new analysis released on Thursday said authorities need to rethink their strategy and stop the mixing of treated and untreated water in drains flowing into the river. The analysis by Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said officials must ensure that tankers collecting faecal sludge from areas without sewer connections do not dump it into drains or the river. CSE director general Sunita Narain said all such tankers should be fitted with GPS trackers to make sure the sludge is taken to sewage treatment plants (STPs) for proper treatment and reuse. She added that untreated water from unsewered areas should be treated near the river before being released. Narain also said that one of the biggest problems in cleaning the Yamuna is the lack of clear data on the city's population, which makes it difficult to know if the current treatment capacity is sufficient. The 22-kilometre stretch of the Yamuna between Wazirabad and Okhla in Delhi, less than 2 per cent of the river's total length, accounts for 80 per cent of its pollution load. The main reasons for the pollution are untreated wastewater from unauthorised colonies and slum clusters and the poor quality of treated water from STPs and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs). According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the city generates 3,600 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage. The 37 STPs in Delhi have a total capacity of 3,474 MLD, about 96 per cent of the sewage generated. However, these plants are currently operating at only 80 per cent of their capacity, treating just 2,777 MLD. The remaining sewage flows untreated into the Yamuna. Of the treated water, only around 1,960 MLD meets the required quality standards, that is, the biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) levels should be below 10 milligrams per litre. Narain said the Delhi government spent more than Rs 6,856 crore on Yamuna-cleaning projects between 2017 and 2022. Despite this, the river remains polluted and dirty. Cleaning the Yamuna will take more than just money. It needs a new and improved plan, she said.

Delhi's Yamuna-cleaning plan needs reset, not just money: Report

New Delhi: Amid renewed efforts to clean the Yamuna in Delhi, a new analysis released on Thursday said authorities need to rethink their strategy and stop the mixing of treated and untreated water in drains flowing into the river. The analysis by Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said officials must ensure that tankers collecting faecal sludge from areas without sewer connections do not dump it into drains or the river. CSE director general Sunita Narain said all such tankers should be fitted with GPS trackers to make sure the sludge is taken to sewage treatment plants (STPs) for proper treatment and reuse. She added that untreated water from unsewered areas should be treated near the river before being released. Narain also said that one of the biggest problems in cleaning the Yamuna is the lack of clear data on the city's population, which makes it difficult to know if the current treatment capacity is sufficient. The 22-kilometre stretch of the Yamuna between Wazirabad and Okhla in Delhi, less than 2 per cent of the river's total length, accounts for 80 per cent of its pollution load. The main reasons for the pollution are untreated wastewater from unauthorised colonies and slum clusters and the poor quality of treated water from STPs and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs).

Why Yamuna remains choked despite crores spent on cleanup

The Yamuna river is extremely important, but its state in Delhi presents a significant problem. Although the river flows for just 22 kilometres through the capital, which is only two per cent of its entire length, this short stretch contributes over 80 per cent of the total pollution load in the river. In fact, for approximately nine months of the year, there is virtually no water in the river within Delhi; instead, it is filled with sewage and waste from the city's 22 drains. This pollution is so severe that the river is considered "dead" within a few kilometres of entering Delhi. Despite considerable efforts and investment, the Yamuna continues to be heavily polluted. The Delhi government, for instance, spent more than Rs 6,856 crore between 2017 and 2022 on cleaning the river. Delhi also has 37 sewage treatment plants (STPs) with a capacity to treat a large percentage of the generated sewage. However, a report from 2024 indicated that 23 out of these 37 STPs are not meeting the required water quality standards for discharged water. This suggests that even treated water isn't clean enough. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) conducted an in-depth assessment to understand why the Yamuna remains polluted despite these actions. Their report, "Yamuna: The Agenda for Cleaning the River," points to several key issues. One problem is the lack of clear data on how much wastewater Delhi actually generates, partly because of uncertainty about the city's population and the use of unofficial water sources. Furthermore, vast areas of the city that are not connected to sewer lines often rely on desludging tankers. A significant issue is that these tankers may discharge the collected waste directly into rivers or drains instead of taking it to STPs. Crucially, even when wastewater is treated at STPs, the treated water is often discharged into the same drains that also carry untreated sewage. This mixing of clean, treated water with dirty, untreated water in the drains negates the entire effort and money spent on treatment, causing the water to become polluted again before it reaches the river. The report also notes that even efforts like the Interceptor Sewer Project, designed to trap sewage from drains, are not working effectively for the two main drains (Najafgarh and Shahdara) that contribute 84 per cent of the pollution load, and pollution is increasing in these areas. Issues with industrial pollution treatment quality and discharge are also concerns. CSE shared the details of this important action plan at a press briefing. This event took place on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 12 noon, at the CSE Office in the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. Key speakers included Sunita Narain, the Director General of CSE, and Sushmita Sengupta, Senior Programme Manager for Water at CSE. They emphasized that although government efforts are commendable, more needs to be done, and it is "time to act and think differently". This briefing was a way to share their insights and the proposed path forward to truly clean the Yamuna. CSE concludes that cleaning the Yamuna requires "much more than money" and necessitates a "reworked plan" that involves thinking and acting differently. Based on their assessment, they propose a "workable action plan" with five main priorities. These priorities focus on ensuring waste from non-sewered areas is properly collected and treated, preventing treated water from mixing with untreated sewage in drains, fully utilising treated wastewater instead of releasing it, designing STP upgrade plans based on reuse of treated water, and specifically reworking the strategy for the highly polluting Najafgarh and Shahdara drains. This comprehensive approach is seen as necessary to move towards truly cleaning the Yamuna.

Yamuna Clean-Up Requires Urgent, Fresh Approach: Sunita Narain

Yamuna Clean-Up: In the four years between 2017 and 2022, the Delhi government spent more than Rs 6,856 crore on cleaning the Yamuna. Delhi now has 37 sewage treatment plants with a capacity to treat over 80-100 per cent of the generated sewage, and almost 80 per cent of the city is connected to sewer lines. In spite of all this, why does the Yamuna continue to run polluted and unclean? A new assessment by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), released here today at a press briefing, attempts to unravel this mystery and offer an action plan that will work. Yamuna: The Agenda for Cleaning the River – as the assessment report is titled – says: “The 22-km stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi, barely 2 per cent of the total length of the river basin, contributes over 80 per cent of the pollution load in the entire river. There is no water in the river for almost nine months in a year – what flows in it is just sewage and waste from Delhi’s 22 drains. The Yamuna ceases to exist after it enters Delhi at Wazirabad.” Speaking at the press briefing, CSE director general Sunita Narain said: “The problem of cleaning the Yamuna is not a new one; huge amounts of money have been spent over the years, plans have been initiated and carried out. The agenda for cleaning the river is critical as a ‘dead Yamuna’ is not just a matter of shame for the city and for us – it also adds to the burden of providing clean water to Delhi as well as to the cities downstream.” Narain went on to add: “We must realise that cleaning the Yamuna will require much more than money. It will need a reworked plan which will guide us towards thinking and acting differently.” Why is the Yamuna polluted? The CSE report identifies a few key reasons behind this state of affairs. Lack of data on wastewater generation: Narain says that “we do not know how much wastewater is generated by Delhi” – as there is no clear data on Delhi’s population in the absence of a regular census or on the amount of ‘unofficial’ water (groundwater and water supplied by tankers) residents use. Without this data on wastewater generation we must rework the plan Vast areas in Delhi depend on desludging tankers for removing their excreta and these tankers then discharge into river or drains : The current plan does not prioritize 100% interception from tankers through regulations on GPS and ensuring that this is then taken to STPs for treatment and reuse Mixing of treated and untreated sewage in Delhi’s drains : Delhi has 22 drains that are supposed to carry treated, clean water back into the Yamuna. But the untreated sewage also flows into these same drains through unsewered colonies or tankers that transport faecal sludge and wastewater – as a result, the entire effort of treating the wastewater is negated. What have we done about it till now? Successive Central and Delhi governments and the courts have been focused on finding solutions to the problem and this is commendable. Here is a lowdown on the official actions: Enhanced sewage treatment capacity and utilisation : Delhi’s 37 STPs can treat over 84 per cent of the generated sewage. According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), almost 80 per cent of the generated sewage is being treated. The focus is now on improving the capacity of existing STPs and building new plants to meet future demand and by June 2025 Delhi will treat 100 per cent. Tighter discharge norms : More stringent standards have been introduced since the STPs in Delhi came into operation: the norm now is 10 mg/l, compared to the national standard of 30 mg/l. According to a 2024 DPCC report, 23 of Delhi’s 37 STPs are not meeting the effluent discharge standard. This means existing plants have to be upgraded and refurbished at additional cost. Interceptor sewers to tap the flow in the drains : The Delhi government’s Interceptor Sewer Project aims to trap 1,000 million litre per day of sewage from the city’s drains and divert it for treatment. Sewage pipelines in unauthorised colonies: Over 1,000 sewerage lines have been laid, says the DPCC; the remaining are in various stages of completion. Controlling industrial pollution : Delhi has 28 “approved” industrial areas – effluents from 17 of these are treated in common effluent treatment plants. But the quality of treatment is a matter of concern, says the CSE report; it is also unclear where the treated effluents are discharged. But despite all these actions, Yamuna continues to be polluted. Data from DPCC shows that within a few kms of arriving in Delhi (at Palla), it is dead. The Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in the river at ISBT is zero. There is also no visible improvement in the quality of river after so many years and so many plans and investment. This is why we need a review and reset, says CSE. What more can we do? The CSE report recommends the following five-point action agenda: Priority 1: Ensure that all faecal sludge is collected from non-sewered areas and treated : Areas not connected to sewer lines are served by desludging tankers and this should be part of the agenda for clean Yamuna. The state does not have to invest in building and refurbishing costly sewage pipelines – the strategy for faecal sludge management through tankers is faster and more cost-effective. The key step is to ensure that all desludging tankers are registered and their movement is monitored so that all septage is taken to treatment plants. Priority 2: Ensure that treated water is not discharged into drains, where it gets mixed with untreated wastewater : As STPs are not located near the river, t reated wastewater from these plants is discharged into the same drains, which are already polluted with untreated wastewater. This ‘mixing’ negates the impact on pollution control and the money spent on treatment goes waste. Each STP must plan for how it will not just treat/but how it will discharge treated effluents. Priority 3: Ensure full utilisation of the treated wastewater so that they do not add to the pollution load: Currently, only 331-473 MLD is reused . This is between 10-14 per cent of the treated wastewater . Each STP needs a plan not only for treatment but for how it is discharging its treated wastewater . Otherwise, we are cleaning and then wasting Priority 4 : Plan upgrade of STPs based on reuse of treated water plan : Delhi effluent standards are more stringent than the rest of the country but this is because they are designed for discharge into the river, which has no assimilative capacity. Huge investment is needed to refurbish the current STPs to meet the standards. The standards need to be designed for reuse. Priority 5: Rework the plan for two drains — Najafgarh and Shahdara — that contribute 84 per cent of the pollution load into the river: The interceptor drain plan is not working for these two drains; despite investment, pollution is increasing. Delhi needs to rework and focus on drains that contribute bulk of pollution into the river.

Rethinking Yamuna: A Call for Smarter Strategies in River Cleanup

The ongoing drive to clear the Yamuna river of pollution has come under scrutiny as a new analysis urges a revised approach. The report advocates for halting the mix of treated and untreated sewage in drains flowing into Delhi's iconic river. Issued by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the report highlights the need for faecal sludge tankers from areas lacking sewer connections to be monitored via GPS. This measure aims to ensure that waste is properly processed at sewage treatment plants (STPs) before release. Data issues and inadequate treatment capacity compound the problem, with the river's pollution load significantly concentrated within a short stretch in the capital. Recommendations include facilitating faster sludge management without expensive infrastructure and re-evaluating standards with water reuse as a priority.

सिर्फ पैसा काफी नहीं, यमुना की सफाई के लिए रणनीति बदलने की जरूरत : सुनीता नारायण

राजधानी में यमुना को साफ करने के नए प्रयासों के बीच, पर्यावरणविद सुनीता नारायण ने बृहस्पतिवार को इस संदर्भ में रणनीति बदले जाने की बात कही है। उन्होंने दिल्ली सरकार और अधिकारियों को अपनी रणनीति पर फिर से विचार करने और नदी में बहने वाले नालों में उपचारित और अनुपचारित पानी के मिश्रण को रोकने की जरूरत जताई है। सुनीता नारायण ने 'यमुना : एजेंडा नदी की सफाई का' रिपोर्ट भी जारी की इंडिया हैबीटेट सेंटर में आयोजित प्रेसवार्ता में सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एन्वायनरमेंट (सीएसई) की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने 'यमुना : एजेंडा नदी की सफाई का' रिपोर्ट भी जारी की। नारायण ने कहा कि दिल्ली सरकार ने 2017 से 2022 के बीच यमुना सफाई परियोजनाओं पर 6,856 करोड़ रुपये से अधिक खर्च किए हैं। इसके बावजूद, यमुना प्रदूषित और गंदी बनी हुई है। नदी को साफ करने के लिए केवल पैसे से ज्यादा एक नई और बेहतर योजना की जरूरत है।

दिल्ली में नजफगढ़-शाहदरा नाले यमुना में प्रदूषण के लिए 84% तक जिम्मेदार, CSE रिपोर्ट में खुलासा

सीएसई की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने ‘यमुनाः द एजेंडा फॉर क्लीनिंग द रिवर’ शीर्षक से एक रिपोर्ट जारी की. उन्होंने बताया कि 2017 से 2022 के चार वर्षों में दिल्ली सरकार ने यमुना की सफाई पर 6856 करोड़ रुपये से अधिक खर्च किए हैं. राजधानी में कुल 37 सीवेज ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट हैं, जो उत्पन्न सीवेज के 80 प्रतिशत से अधिक हिस्से को उपचारित करने की क्षमता रखते हैं. रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, दिल्ली में यमुना का 22 किलोमीटर लंबा हिस्सा, जो कुल नदी की लंबाई का केवल दो प्रतिशत है, प्रदूषण के लिए 80 प्रतिशत तक जिम्मेदार है. महानिदेशक ने बताया कि यमुना की सफाई के लिए काफी धनराशि खर्च की गई है और कई योजनाएं लागू की गई हैं. इसके बावजूद, यमुना में प्रदूषण का स्तर लगातार बना हुआ है. सभी हेल्थ केयर स्टाफ की छुट्टी रद्द: स्वास्थ्य मंत्री जेपी नड्डा ने दिए निर्देश मल-मूत्र वाले टैंकरों पर लगे GPS : यमुना में प्रदूषण के लिए मल-मूत्र से भरे टैंकरों को भी जिम्मेदार ठहराया गया है. सीएसई के महानिदेशक ने बताया कि दिल्ली के उन क्षेत्रों में जहां सीवर लाइन नहीं है, वहां घरों में सेप्टेज टैंक बनाए गए हैं, जिन्हें नियमित रूप से खाली करने की आवश्यकता होती है. यह कार्य डिस्लजिंग टैंकरों द्वारा किया जाता है, लेकिन अक्सर ये टैंकर सेप्टेज टैंक से मल-मूत्र को निकालकर उसे नाले में गिरा देते हैं, जो अंततः यमुना में पहुंच जाता है. इस प्रक्रिया में शामिल सभी टैंकरों का रजिस्ट्रेशन होना चाहिए और उन पर जीपीएस लगाया जाना चाहिए, ताकि मल-मूत्र को उचित रूप से सीवेज ट्रीटमेंट तक पहुंचाया जा सके. इंडियन ऑयल का देश को संदेश; घबराने की जरूरत नहीं, भारत के पास तेल-गैस का पर्याप्त भंडार बहाया जा रहा उपचारित पानी रिपोर्ट में यह स्पष्ट किया गया है कि सीवेज ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट से निकाले गए उपचारित पानी के उपयोग की कोई ठोस योजना नहीं है, जिसके परिणामस्वरूप बड़ी मात्रा में उपचारित पानी नाले में ही छोड़ दिया जा रहा है. नाले में पहले से ही गंदा पानी मौजूद है, इसलिए उपचारित पानी को नाले में डालने के बजाय इसे सीधे यमुना में प्रवाहित करने की योजना पर ध्यान केंद्रित किया जाना चाहिए. ऐसा करने से यमुना में जल प्रवाह बढ़ेगा और अपेक्षाकृत साफ पानी मिलने से वहां जीवन की संभावनाएं भी बढ़ेंगी.

Delhi: यमुना सफाई योजना को फिर से शुरू करने की जरूरत, सिर्फ धन से नहीं होगा काम

: पांच वर्षों में 6,800 करोड़ पये से अधिक खर्च करने और अपने सीवेज इंफ्रास्ट्रर का विस्तार करने के बावजूद, दिल्ली यमुना के उस हिस्से को पुनर्जीवित करने में विफल रही है, जो जैविक प से मृत है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की नई रिपोर्ट, यमुना: द एजेंडा फॉर क्लीनिंग द रिवर, शहर की नदी-सफाई रणनीति में बुनियादी बदलाव की मांग करती है, जिसमें बुनियादी ढांचे के विस्तार से लेकर बेहतर शासन और योजना बनाने पर जोर दिया गया है। रिपोर्ट में निवेश और भाव के बीच एक परेशान करने वाले अंतर को उजागर किया गया है। दिल्ली में 37 सीवेज ट्री टमेंट प्लांट (एसटीपी) हैं, जो कथित तौर पर इसके 84% अपशि जल को कवर करते हैं, और लगभग 80% घर सीवर सिम से जुड़े हैं। फिर भी, दिल्ली में नदी का 22 किलोमीटर लंबा हिस्सा पुनर्जीवित होने का कोई संकेत नहीं देता है। सीएसई की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने कहा कि यास भले ही अच्छे इरादे से किए गए हों, हों लेकिन वे परिणाम नहीं दे पाए हैं। उन्होंनेन्हों नेकहा, "मृत यमुना न केवल नागरिक विफलता है, बल्कि दिल्ली और उसके आस-पास के शहरों के लिए जल सुरक्षा को भी खतरे में डालती है।" उन्होंनेन्हों नेएक नए ष्टिकोण की मांग की, जो पैसे से परे हो और अधिक भावी नियोजन को अपनाए। रिपोर्ट में तीन महपूर्ण कमियों की पहचान की गई है। सबसे पहले, पुरानी जनसंख्या के आंकड़ों और अनौपचारिक जल उपयोग के कारण दिल्ली में अपशि जल उत्पादन पर विसनीय डेटा का अभाव है।

Save The River : दिल्ली के 22 किलोमीटर हिस्से से यमुना 80 फीसदी प्रदूषित, सीएसई की नई रिपोर्ट में खुलासा

सरकारी व्यवस्था और सीवेज इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर के विस्तार के बावजूद यमुना देश की सबसे प्रदूषित नदियों में से एक है। दिल्ली में इस समस्या से निपटने के तरीके में बुनियादी बदलाव करने का समय आ गया है। दिल्ली-एनसीआर में यमुना की सफाई के लिए कार्य एजेंडा को बदलने की जरूरत है। बृहस्पतिवार को इंडिया हैबिटेट सेंटर स्थित थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने एक प्रेस वार्ता में यह बातें कही। उन्होंने यमुना से जुड़ी एक नई रिपोर्ट, यमुना: नदी की सफाई का एजेंडा पेश की। सुनीता नारायण ने कहा कि यमुना की सफाई की समस्या कोई नई नहीं है। पिछले कुछ वर्षों में इस पर बड़ी मात्रा में धन खर्च किया गया है। साथ ही, कई योजनाएं शुरू की और उन्हें क्रियान्वित किया गया है। नदी की सफाई का एजेंडा महत्वपूर्ण है, क्योंकि मृत यमुना न केवल शहर और हमारे लिए शर्म की बात है। बल्कि इससे दिल्ली के साथ-साथ नीचे के शहरों को भी स्वच्छ जल उपलब्ध कराने का बोझ बढ़ जाता है। नई रिपोर्ट में एक विस्तृत मूल्यांकन और पांच-सूत्री कार्य योजना जारी की है, जिसमें नीति निर्माताओं से प्राथमिकताओं को फिर से निर्धारित करने और अधिक लक्षित, डाटा-संचालित दृष्टिकोण अपनाने का आग्रह किया गया है। 22 किलोमीटर लंबा हिस्सा नदी को 80 प्रतिशत करता है प्रदूषित रिपोर्ट में बताया गया कि दिल्ली में यमुना का 22 किलोमीटर लंबा हिस्सा है, जो नदी बेसिन की कुल लंबाई का बामुश्किल 2 प्रतिशत है। वह पूरी नदी में प्रदूषण के 80 प्रतिशत से अधिक हिस्से का योगदान देता है। साल में लगभग नौ महीने नदी में पानी नहीं होता है, इसमें जो बहता है वह दिल्ली के 22 नालों से निकलने वाला मल और कचरा है। रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, वजीराबाद में यमुना का अस्तित्व समाप्त हो जाता है। इसके अलावा, रिपोर्ट में यह भी खुलासा किया गया कि 2017 से 2022 के बीच चार साल में दिल्ली सरकार ने यमुना की सफाई पर 6,856 करोड़ रुपये से अधिक खर्च किए। मौजूदा समय में 37 सीवेज ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट हैं, जिनकी क्षमता 80-100 प्रतिशत से अधिक सीवेज को साफ करने की है। यही नहीं, शहर का लगभग 80 प्रतिशत हिस्सा सीवर लाइनों से जुड़ा हुआ है। यमुना को साफ करने के लिए पांच बिंदू सीएसई ने एक पांच-आयामी रणनीति का प्रस्ताव रखा जो बुनियादी ढांचे के विस्तार से ध्यान हटाकर बेहतर प्रशासन और योजना पर केंद्रित है। इसमें मल-गाद को उपचार श्रृंखला में शामिल करना, गंदे नालों में उपचारित जल का बहाव रोकना, उपचारित जल का अधिकतम पुनः उपयोग करना, एसटीपी को उन्नत करना और सबसे खराब नालों को निशाना बनाने की जरूरत है।

CSE highlights paradox in Delhi’s river-cleaning efforts

Despite substantial Government investment and an expanding sewage infrastructure, the Yamuna remains one of India’s most polluted rivers. A new analysis ‘Titled Yamuna: The Agenda for Cleaning the River’, released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), highlights the paradox at the heart of Delhi’s river-cleaning efforts. Between 2017 and 2022, the Delhi government spent more than `6,856 crore to clean the Yamuna. The city now boasts 37 sewage treatment plants (STPs), claiming the capacity to handle 84 per cent of its wastewater, with nearly 80 per cent of households connected to the sewer network. Yet, the 22-kilometre stretch of the Yamuna that runs through Delhi remains biologically dead. The report said officials must ensure that tankers collecting faecal sludge from areas without sewer connections do not dump it into drains or the river. The 22-kilometre stretch of the Yamuna between Wazirabad and Okhla in Delhi, less than 2 per cent of the river’s total length, accounts for 80 per cent of its pollution load. The main reasons for the pollution are untreated wastewater from unauthorised colonies and slum clusters and the poor quality of treated water from STPs and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs). Delhi, with its 37 sewage treatment plants (STPs) of 3,033 MLD, has the capacity to treat over 84 per cent of the generated sewage, estimated at 3,600 MLD. Of the installed capacity, some 2,574 MLD is being utilized — roughly 85 per cent. In other words, over 70 per cent of the generated wastewater is now being treated, which is a marked improvement over the last decade. According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the 37 STPs in Delhi have a total capacity of 3,474 MLD, about 96 per cent of the sewage generated. However, these plants are currently operating at only 80 per cent of their capacity, treating just 2,777 MLD. The remaining sewage flows untreated into the Yamuna. Of the treated water, only around 1,960 MLD meets the required quality standards, that is, the biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) levels should be below 10 milligrams per litre. The report called for a fresh plan for the Najafgarh and Shahdara drains, which together contribute 84 per cent of the river’s pollution load in Delhi. The report notes that Delhi does not have accurate figures on how much wastewater it generates, largely due to outdated population data and the informal use of water through borewells and private tankers. Without this information, it’s difficult to design a system that matches actual waste output. Large areas of Delhi are not connected to sewers and rely on desludging tankers to remove faecal waste. However, these tankers often dump untreated sludge into drains or directly into the river. There is currently no comprehensive regulation or tracking mechanism to ensure that sludge is transported to treatment plants. According to the 2019 report of the River Rejuvenation Committee, out of the 900 MLD that was planned to be intercepted, roughly half had been completed by 2019 — 400 MLD. By 2024, it was claimed that 800 MLD is now being intercepted, but it is not clear how much of this is from the six packages for the key drains. This is also when pollution load has continued to increase in both Najafgarh and Shahdara, which clearly suggests that there is an urgent need to review and rework the plan. CSE director general Sunita Narain said all such tankers should be fitted with GPS trackers to make sure the sludge is taken to sewage treatment plants (STPs) for proper treatment and reuse. She added that untreated water from unsewered areas should be treated near the river before being released. Narain also said that one of the biggest problems in cleaning the Yamuna is the lack of clear data on the city’s population, which makes it difficult to know if the current treatment capacity is sufficient.Narain said the Delhi Government spent more than `6,856 crore on Yamuna-cleaning projects between 2017 and 2022.Despite this, the river remains polluted and dirty. Cleaning the Yamuna will take more than just money. It needs a new and improved plan, she said. For areas not connected to the sewer system, Narain said the government does not need to invest in expensive pipelines, as managing faecal sludge through tankers is quicker and more affordable.She also said that STP standards should be set with water reuse in mind, as large investments needed to upgrade the plants to meet the stricter discharge standards delays the cleaning work.

Yamuna cleaning: Faecal sludge to free flow, CSE report charts new course

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based research and advocacy group, released a comprehensive report on Thursday that calls for immediate and systemic reforms to revive the heavily polluted Yamuna river. The report titled ‘Yamuna: The Agenda for Cleaning the River’ emphasises the need to collect and treat all faecal sludge from non-sewered areas. It recommends reworking strategies for the Najafgarh and Shahdara drains, which contribute a staggering 84% of the pollution load into the river. Highlighting inefficiencies in current sewage treatment practices, the CSE criticises the discharge of treated water into drains that are already polluted with untreated waste, rendering the treatment process ineffective. “Each sewage treatment plant (STP) must plan not just how it will treat, but also how it will discharge treated effluents,” the report notes. It also calls for an increase in river flow to improve the river’s ability to assimilate waste. This could involve reducing water intake, enhancing storage, and directly discharging clean, treated water into the river. The report raises concerns about unchecked industrial pollution, particularly from units operating in unauthorised areas beyond regulatory oversight. CSE Director General Sunita Narain stated that despite years of investment and legal pressure, the river shows no sign of improvement. “The agenda for cleaning the river is critical as a ‘dead Yamuna’ is not just a matter of shame, it also adds to the burden of providing clean water to Delhi as well as to the cities downstream,” Ms. Narain said. “We must realise that cleaning the Yamuna will require much more than money. It will need a reworked plan which will guide us towards thinking and acting differently,” she added. Faecal coliform levels, an indicator of sewage contamination, remain alarmingly high, said the report, which likens the river to a “sewage canal.”

Delhi’s Yamuna-cleaning plan needs reset, not just money: Report

As the Delhi government renews efforts to clean the Yamuna, a new report released on Thursday by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has urged a fundamental shift in approach, warning that the continued mixing of treated and untreated wastewater in drains is undermining progress. The analysis highlights a critical gap in the city’s wastewater management: the improper disposal of faecal sludge from areas without sewer connections. CSE director general Sunita Narain stressed that septic tank waste collected by private tankers must not be dumped into open drains or the river. Instead, all sludge tankers should be fitted with GPS trackers to ensure they deliver waste to sewage treatment plants (STPs) for proper treatment and potential reuse. Narain further recommended that wastewater from unsewered neighbourhoods be treated locally near the river before being discharged. A major obstacle to effective river-cleaning efforts, she noted, is the absence of accurate data on Delhi’s population. This makes it difficult to assess whether the city’s existing sewage treatment infrastructure is adequate. A mere 22-kilometre stretch of the Yamuna between Wazirabad and Okhla—less than 2% of the river’s total length—carries a staggering 80% of its pollution load. This is largely due to the inflow of untreated sewage from unauthorised colonies and slum clusters, as well as subpar output from both STPs and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs). According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the city generates 3,600 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage. While the 37 STPs across the capital have a combined capacity of 3,474 MLD, only 2,777 MLD is currently being treated—about 80% of their capacity. Of this, merely 1,960 MLD meets the required effluent quality norms for biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS), both of which should be below 10 mg/litre. Between 2017 and 2022, the Delhi government spent over ₹6,856 crore on initiatives aimed at cleaning the Yamuna. Yet the river remains heavily polluted. “Money alone is not enough,” Narain said. “What we need is a new and effective plan.” She argued that in unsewered areas, managing faecal sludge through tankers is not only quicker but also more cost-effective than laying down new sewer lines. Additionally, Narain urged that STP standards should prioritise water reuse. She warned that pushing for stricter discharge norms without considering reuse potential could delay progress due to the high costs of plant upgrades. The report also called for urgent, revised plans for the Najafgarh and Shahdara drains, which together contribute 84% of the Yamuna’s pollution load within Delhi.