The AAP might not admit it, but its spectacular meltdown in Delhi was partly due to the misfiring of its Yamuna pollution card during the recent assembly elections. Despite tall claims and two consecutive mandates, the AAP government failed to deliver on its promise to clean up the river, which flows 52 km across Delhi and courses through 15 of its 70 assembly constituencies. At present, the Yamuna is more of a toxic waterbody in the Capital, with parts of it resembling a sewer rather than a river.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal tripped when he sought to shift the Yamuna blame on the BJP to change the discourse. On January 27, he accused the BJP government in Haryana of poisoning water supplied to Delhi through the Yamuna, calling it an attempt at genocide. But his attempt to weaponise the rise in harmful ammonia levels in the river — which led to the shutdown of three water treatment plants, impacting water supply for 30% of the city’s residents — bombed big time.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the BJP pushback, calling it an insult to Haryana. The result: 12 of the BJP’s 14 candidates of Haryanvi descent won their respective seats — as against four of the AAP’s 10 Haryanvi candidates. In 2020, the AAP had dominated the Yamuna belt, winning 13 of 15 seats there.
In his victory speech after the elections, Modi said, “I pledged during the campaign that we will make Yamuna ji the identity of Delhi. No matter how much time or energy it requires, if the resolve is strong, we will have Yamuna ji’s blessings.” But is it really doable?
Pollution load
The Yamuna originates from the Yamunotri glacier in Uttarakhand at an altitude of 6,387 metres in the Himalayas. In its upper reaches, the river is clean. It flows through Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Uttarakhand before entering Delhi. While the Yamuna flows for about 1,376 km, a mere 22-km stretch in Delhi contributes nearly 76% of its total pollution load. In some stretches, the dissolved oxygen levels — necessary for aquatic life — drop to near-zero. The water turns black, frothy and stinky.
Why so filthy
The primary culprit is the huge discharge of untreated sewage and domestic wastewater into the Yamuna. Delhi generates about 792 million gallons per day (MGD) of sewage, yet its treatment plants process can process only around 667 MGD. The rest directly flows into the Yamuna. More than 20 major drains, including those at Najafgarh and Shahdara, carry vast amounts of domestic waste, fecal matter, and industrial effluents into the river. Many sewage treatment plants either do not operate at full capacity or fail to meet pollution norms, allowing contaminants to flow unchecked into the river.
Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Raj Bhushan Choudhary, recently quantified the fecal coliform levels across the Yamuna as of 2023. He said at Yamunotri, the fecal coliform count stood at a just 2 MPN (most probable mumber). MPN is a method to test the dilution of a specific microbe in a sample.
Upon entering Delhi, at Asgarpur, after the confluence of the highly contaminated Shahdara and Tughlaqabad drains, the figure was a whopping 2,85,000 MPN. Downstream, as the river enters Uttar Pradesh, the levels remain unsafe, recording 35,000 MPN at Shahpur and 610 MPN at Prayagraj.
Raw industrial discharge worsens the river’s condition further. The Yamuna absorbs hazardous chemicals and toxins from industries such as dyeing, electroplating, chemical manufacturing and paper production. Delhi is home to over 1,500 unauthorised industrial units, many of which illegally release waste into the river. It includes heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury and lead, which are a health hazard.
Another major issue is the rampant dumping of solid waste. Large amounts of plastic, polythene bags and construction debris are regularly discarded into the Yamuna. Despite a ban on single-use plastic, enforcement remains weak. The problem is exacerbated by religious and ritual offerings when people immerse idols, flowers, and other materials into the river. Many of them contain toxic dyes and chemicals.
Judicial interventions
Despite a plethora of judicial intervention, the Yamuna’s condition is dire. The National Green Tribunal (NGT), on February 6, 2025, lambasted the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and other agencies for failing to remove encroachments along Delhi’s stretch of the river. The DDA sought a three-week extension to submit a fresh report detailing its compliance with court orders.
Over five years ago, the NGT had ruled that river floodplains must remain free from occupation due to their ecological significance. It had ordered the DDA, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), and the forest department to take legal action against the squatters. The order remained unimplemented.
In yet another push for action, the Delhi High Court last year instructed the DDA to coordinate with all relevant agencies and ensure the removal of illegal encroachments from the floodplains. The court also issued a stern directive to the vice-chairperson of the DDA, mandating the immediate clearing of all unauthorised constructions on the riverbank, riverbed, and drains flowing into the Yamuna. And the Supreme Court, on January 2, 2024, upheld the necessity of preserving the Yamuna floodplains for the greater good.
Health consequences
Since millions of Delhi’s residents depend on the river for water, its contamination has led to widespread health issues. Waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea are common among those exposed to the river’s pollution. Heavy metal contamination poses long-term health risks, including organ damage and developmental disorders.
The environmental damage, too, is devastating. Once home to diverse aquatic life, the Yamuna now struggles to support even the most resilient species. High ammonia levels make it unfit for fish and other organisms. The presence of phosphate-rich detergents causes frothing, resulting in toxic foams, especially in areas like Kalindi Kunj.
When Delhi faced one of its worst flooding disasters in 2023, over 25,000 residents had to be evacuated as the Yamuna overflowed due to heavy rainfall and excessive water discharge from the Hathnikund Barrage. The Central government revealed that inaccuracies in the flood forecast by the Central Water Commission (CWC) was due to the congestion between Wazirabad and Okhla barrages.
In its report to the NGT, the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the CWC explained that the flood prediction models were based on a “free flow state” assumption. However, the reality was starkly different. The incomplete opening of gates at the ITO Barrage, excessive silt accumulation, unchecked vegetation growth, and construction debris from infrastructure projects severely hindered the river’s natural flow. These obstructions not only led to inaccuracies in flood forecasts but also exacerbated the devastation.
Cleaning efforts
Several initiatives have been launched over the years to address the issue. The Yamuna Action Plan (YAP), first introduced in 1993 with Japanese aid, aimed to reduce pollution by constructing sewage treatment plants, but their numbers are insufficient. The Namami Gange initiative and local clean-up drives raised awareness, but weak enforcement allowed pollution to persist. Although authorities have imposed fines and shut down some polluting industries, illegal discharges continue unabated.
One of the solutions is to improve the sewage treatment infrastructure. New treatment plants and interceptor drains are under construction. Cleaning the Yamuna requires a multi-pronged approach. Strict enforcement of pollution laws, including imposing heavy penalties for illegal waste dumping and industrial pollution, is essential. Expanding sewage treatment capacity to ensure all of Delhi’s wastewater is treated before being released into the river is another crucial step. Riverfront rejuvenation projects, such as creating green buffer zones along the Yamuna, would help restore its ecosystem. Public awareness, reducing waste, stopping the practice of dumping ritual offerings in the river and making Delhiites a partner in its rejuvenation is the way forward.