New Delhi: Sewage overload, drain discharge, solid waste such as cow dung and industrial effluents, and institutional coordination gaps were flagged as the main reasons affecting the Yamuna during a meeting to frame future strategy and prioritise interventions to improve the river’s water quality.The meeting, held last week at Delhi Secretariat, was chaired by CM Rekha Gupta and attended by water minister Parvesh Verma, apart from senior govt officials.
At the meeting, officials said untreated and partially treated sewage remain the biggest pressure point, with a persistent gap between sewage generation and effective treatment. Large volumes of sewage continue to enter the river through multiple drains due to incomplete sewer connectivity and underutilisation of treatment infrastructure. Delays in construction and upgradation of sewage treatment plants (STPs) during the previous govt’s term were also flagged as factors affecting compliance with prescribed discharge standards. “There are 37 STPs in Delhi; only 16 of them were upgraded till Feb 2025 according to the new standards,” said an official.Industrial pollution was highlighted as another area of concern, with officials pointing out the absence of a comprehensive industrial waste management framework at the sub-drain level.The absence of fresh water flow during the dry season was identified as a structural issue affecting river health. During these months, 23 drains discharge nearly 650 cusecs of wastewater into the Yamuna, while the river carries little to no fresh water downstream of Wazirabad, sharply reducing dilution capacity and worsening water quality.Officials also drew attention to institutional challenges, noting that Delhi’s 11,000km stormwater drain network is managed by seven different agencies. This arrangement was cited as a reason for uneven maintenance, irregular desilting and gaps in accountability. Coordination failures between departments working in silos were flagged as a non-technical factor slowing progress on river rejuvenation.Solid waste dumping was highlighted as a significant contributor to pollution, with all 22 major drains carrying plastic, construction debris, cow dung and other organic waste into the Yamuna, said an official. This organic load substantially, he added, increases biochemical oxygen demand levels in the river, particularly in its most polluted stretches.The Yamuna flows for about 48km through the national capital, but this short stretch accounts for nearly 80% of the river’s total pollution load. The most stressed segment lies between Wazirabad and Okhla, spanning 22km, where dissolved oxygen levels are near 0, making the river unfit for aquatic life.Delhi generates 890-900 million gallons per day of sewage, while the installed sewage treatment capacity is 814 MGD. An operational gap of about 69 MGD remains, even as treatment efficiency is estimated at 91.5%. Officials said improving sewer connectivity and ensuring sewage reaches STPs are essential to bridging this gap.The city has 37 STPs, of which 28 are currently compliant following upgradation works, compared to 16 earlier. The combined treatment capacity of upgraded plants increased from 329 MGD to 436 MGD, said officials, though they indicated further improvements are needed to ensure consistent performance.Other measures focused on addressing the identified gaps through a coordinated approach. These include accelerating completion of pending sewer networks and household connections, strengthening sewage treatment operations, and intercepting and diverting major drains before they discharge into the river.A detailed survey and mapping of drains and sub-drains will be undertaken. The strategy also includes stricter monitoring of industrial discharge, strengthening industrial waste management systems, and preventing the mixing of industrial effluents with domestic sewage. Regular desilting and removal of solid waste from drains were identified as essential steps. Ensuring environmental flow in the Yamuna, increasing reuse of treated wastewater and strengthening data-driven monitoring were also discussed. Nodal officers and dedicated internal coordination cells are in place to improve coordination across agencies, said officials.
