NEW DELHI: 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 First, Delhi lacks reliable data on wastewater generation due to outdated population figures and informal water use.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