NEW DELHI: The water quality of the Yamuna in Delhi showed some signs of improvement in August compared to July, but it remains severely polluted and far from permissible limits, according to the latest report by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).
Samples taken on August 5 from nine locations, including Palla, Wazirabad, ISBT, ITO, Nizamuddin, Okhla Barrage and Asgarpur, indicate a marginal decline in faecal coliform levels, though the counts continue to exceed the maximum permissible limit of 2,500 MPN/100 ml by several folds.
At ITO Bridge, faecal coliform was recorded at 8,100 MPN/100 ml in August, down from an alarming 92 lakh in July. Similarly, at Nizamuddin Bridge, the level dropped from 11 lakh in July to 13,000 in August.
The highest level of faecal coliform was recorded at the Agra canal near Okhla Barrage at 54,000. This is 21.6 times the maximum permissible limit and 108 times the desirable limit.
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), an indicator of organic pollution, also showed improvement. At ISBT Bridge, BOD fell from 47 mg/l in July to 24 mg/l in August, though still eight times higher than the acceptable 3 mg/l. Dissolved Oxygen (DO), critical for aquatic life, improved to 5–7 mg/l at several stretches in August compared to July, when some sites such as Nizamuddin and Okhla showed nil oxygen levels.
Despite the relative improvement, the river remains unfit for bathing or sustaining aquatic life across most stretches. High levels of phosphates and ammoniacal nitrogen were also detected, indicating continued discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday accused the previous Delhi government of neglecting the Yamuna, saying the river’s condition had worsened under its tenure. He said that despite repeated claims, no effective measures were implemented to restore the river.
Highlights of report
1 Samples revealed faecal coliform at 8,100 MPN/100 ml at ITO Bridge in August, a significant reduction from July’s 92 lakh, but still unsafe
2 Dissolved Oxygen improved to 5–7 mg/l at several stretches, showing progress from July
3 High phosphates and ammoniacal nitrogen indicate continued untreated sewage and industrial effluent discharge, leaving the Yamuna unsafe