Delhi Government Alleges Loni, Ghaziabad Major Contributors to Yamuna's Dire Pollution

The sacred waters of the Yamuna River, a lifeline for millions, are once again under intense scrutiny as the Delhi government points an accusatory finger at neighboring Loni and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. Officials in Delhi claim that these regions are significantly contributing to the alarming levels of pollution in the river, particularly at the crucial Palla and Wazirabad entry points into the capital.

According to the Delhi government, a staggering 100-110 million gallons per day (MGD) of untreated wastewater, a noxious cocktail of domestic sewage and industrial discharge, is reportedly flowing directly into the Yamuna from Loni and Ghaziabad.

This influx of raw effluent is not just an environmental blight; it poses a direct threat to Delhi's drinking water supply, as the Wazirabad pond serves as a vital source for the city's key water treatment plants.

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has not been silent on this escalating crisis. Time and again, they have penned urgent communications to Uttar Pradesh authorities and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), pleading for intervention.

The response, however, has been a familiar narrative of denial and deflection from the UP government, which asserts that Loni's sewage is directed to a treatment plant in Ghaziabad and that infrastructure upgrades are underway.

Delhi's Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, has been vocal in highlighting the gravity of the situation, publicly urging the CPCB to take decisive action.

While the Delhi government acknowledges its own efforts to rejuvenate the 22-kilometer stretch of the Yamuna within its boundaries, the persistent inflow of pollution from upstream sources threatens to undermine all progress.

Recent data from the DJB paints a grim picture, revealing exceptionally high levels of pollutants such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) at the Palla and Wazirabad points.

These elevated concentrations make the process of treating water immensely challenging for Delhi, leading to reduced production capacity at critical Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) like Wazirabad, Chandrawal, and Okhla. The ripple effect is felt by every resident relying on these plants for their daily water supply.

This environmental standoff has devolved into a persistent blame game between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

Despite previous directives issued by the CPCB to UP regarding non-compliance with pollution norms, the issue remains unresolved. With Delhi setting an ambitious target of cleaning the Yamuna by 2025, the imperative for concerted, inter-state cooperation has never been more urgent. Without a unified approach to tackle the sources of pollution, the dream of a pristine Yamuna may remain just that—a dream.