NEW DELHI: Toxic Link, an NGO has claimed that Yamuna is highly polluted with heavy metals and toxics contaminating the river’s water to the extent that it is unfit for human consumption.
In a research conducted by Toxic Link, an advisory organisation on environmental issues, it has been detected that high concentration of turbidity and total solids in Yamuna river were alarming in the Wazirabad stretch of the river in the national capital.
At a time when a lot is being done for ridding the Ganga of pollution, the NGO’s finding would draw the attention of the NDA Government, which for the first time, has set up a special ministry to improve the health and hygiene of the major rivers of the country.
The NGO has informed through its press release that samples collected at different locations in Delhi (before Wazirabad and after Wazirabad) during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon season spotted high concentration of turbidity and total solids.
The research has found high level of heavy metal contamination after Wazirabad in comparison to the samples collected before Wazribad, which is a serious concern and suitable measures are required to check prevailing contamination. The average lead concentration during pre and post monsoon season was 16.18 ppm and 23.92 ppm respectively. The cadmium concentration in pre monsoon season varied from 0.2 ppm to 0.38 ppm.