Pollution in Yamuna Getting Worse

Pollution in the Yamuna seems to be going from bad to worse. The MCG has, for the first time, admitted that untreated sewage water also gets into the Najafgarh drain that connects to the Yamuna 

This was after a test, conducted by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board in the wake of a directive by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), revealed that the sewage water of the city, which is released into the Najafgarh drain after treatment, contains pollutants much higher than acceptable limits. 

BOD test is used to measure the amount of dissolved oxygen in water while COD test is used to determine the amount of organic compounds in water. Suspended solids are small solid particles. 

According to a status report filed in the NGT by HUDA, MCG, HSIIDC and the state pollution control board, there are three drains that empty into the Najafgarh drain — Leg I, Leg II and Badshapur drain. "The average discharge into the Najafgarh drain from these three drains works out to 549 MLD (million litres per day)," said the report. 

But, BOD and COD levels are much above the permissible limit, according to a laboratory report (a copy of which is with TOI). The acceptable limits for BOD is 30 mg per litre, COD is 250 mg per litre and suspended solids is 100 mg per litre, as per the Central Pollution Control Board standards. 

Source: Economic Times

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• Environment
• Pollution
• River Basin management