Yamuna in Delhi

RIVER YAMUNA AT ORIGIN ‐ YAMUNOTRI

RIVER YAMUNA AT UTTARAKHAND

RIVER YAMUNA AT DELHI

The Yamuna river
originates at
g
Yamunotri in
Uttarakhand.

The total length of the
river from the Glacier
river from the Glacier
to the Ganga Sanagm
at Allahabad is about
at Allahabad is about
1,300 km.

Wazirabad Barrage
DELHI STRETCH

The 22‐km stretch
of the Yamuna in
Delhi lies between
lhi li b
Wazirabad and the Vikas Marg Bridge

Okhla barrage.
Okhla barrage
Nizamuddin Bridge

Okhla Barrage

Rape of the
River
in Delhi

Sewage Disposal
The 22 km stretch of
The 22 km stretch of
the Yamuna in Delhi
contributes over 80%
contributes over 80%
of the pollution load
of the entire 1300 km
of the entire 1300 km
river.

The stretch is barely
2% of the length of
of the length of
the river.

The Yamuna in Delhi – 22 sewage filled drains empty into the river

All waste of the city, domestic and industrial, whether treated
or not flows through these drains and reaches the Yamuna.

The Najafgarh drain and the Shahadra drain are the two
largest polluters of the river

Pic to come from CSDS

Sewage status of India 2005
40% of India’s sewage treatment capacity belongs to Delhi, yet a massive gap
remains between sewage generation and treatment.
remains between sewage generation and treatment
35000 33212

itres pe day
30000
27022

er
25000

20000

in Million li
15000

M
10000
6190

5000

0
Sewage generation Installed capacity Untreated

Delhi Jal Board sewage generation estimate : 3632 MLD
Actual sewage treatment : 1478MLD
A l 1478MLD
Which is only 64% of treatment capacity

The Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) remain grossly
underutilised.
Three STPs (Ghitorni, Rohini and Keshopur‐I) do not treat
even a drop of waste

The STPs release treated effluents into the nearby drains, which
are already full of untreated and illegal sewage.

The river ceases to exist at Wazirabad

What flows subsequently is only the sewage and waste from
Delhi’s 22 drains.

Ecological flow

For the health of any river, the amount of
For the health of any river the amount of
water drawn out for usage must be limited. The
standards required for ecological flow are
t d d i df l i l fl
completely disregarded in case of the Yamuna
in Delhi.

Micro‐pollutants like pesticides and heavy metals have been found in
the water flowing in Delhi’s drains.
In 2004, high levels of Arsenic were reported in the Yamuna at Okhla
In 2004 high levels of Arsenic were reported in the Yamuna at Okhla

Effluent discharge by factories ‐ film of poisonous foam and frothing

The frothy mix is so glaring it can be viewed on Google Earth

The Holy River ‐ film of poisonous foam and frothing
The Holy River ‐
An idol of
Goddess Durga
being
immersed
immersed
near Okhla
barrage amidst
froth‐like
froth like
sewage

Cremation
Nigambodh Ghat, the city's public
crematorium area

Unregulated settlements on water edge

However the amount of sewage generated by the
slum population 30 % of the population accounts for
slum population ‐ 30 % of the population accounts for
merely 3.3 % of the total sewage generated by the
entire city population.
entire city population.

It is the illegal, unregularised and unauthorised
It is the illegal, unregularised and unauthorised
residential and commercial colonies that are not
connected to the sewage system. Hence 50% of the
connected to the sewage system. Hence 50% of the
sewage that enters the Yamuna is untreated.

Garbage dumped along the river

Access to the river – blocked by garbage dumps
Access to the river –

Direct usage – bathing, washing clothes, defecating etc.

Water transport
•Vegetable transport carried out in thermocol boats
S tb t t & di l i l il bl hi
•Some government boats, steam & diesel engines are also available on hire

Water transport
Braving the stench, people take a boat ride in the Yamuna

Plastic collectors
Plastic collectors collect and sell plastic from the river to make a living

Plastic collectors

Thermocol from dumped garbage used for making boats
Thermocol from dumped garbage used for making boats

Coin collectors
Coin collectors in the polluted river

A cow and a man scrounging for leftover food

Garbage and sewage flow in Yamuna's Qudsia
Garbage and sewage flow in Yamuna's Qudsia Ghat

Yamuna Floodplains
Delhi’s largest groundwater recharge zone

Covering the banks with impermeable concrete and
Covering the banks with impermeable concrete and
construction has threatened this groundwater
recharge zone.
recharge zone
Illegal constructions on the floodplain ‐ Akshardham
Temple, the Delhi Government Secretariat and the
l h lh d h
Commonwealth Games Village ‐continue to exist.

Groundwater exploitation
Unplanned exploitation of precious groundwater has led to the
decline of the water table by 2 to 8 m during the past decade.

The River is Dead
Oxygen level when river exits Delhi is almost zero, unable to
yg
support any aquatic life. It is even unfit for bathing.
Yamuna at palla
14
Yamuna river at Nizamuddin

Yamuna river at Okhla after meeeting
12 Shahdara Drain
n Demand (BOD)

M aximum permissible limit for bathing

10

8
mical Oxygen

6
Biochem

4

2

0

Even during monsoon, the river is not able to
rejuvenate it self.

During 2005 during monsoon, the DO (Dissolved
Oxygen) levels at Nizamuddin rose to 4 mg/l (October
2005) where as in 2007 observed levels were
2.1 mg/l (August 2007).
5 mg/l‐ the limit set for bathing water quality

Traditional value of
the Yamuna in Delhi

In the olden days, Delhi
received its main source of
water from:
water from:

• Shallow step wells dug on
the floodplains of Yamuna.
h fl d l f

y j
•Ponds locally called johads
that had connection with the
local streams, rivulets and
their tributaries.
their tributaries

18th Century –
Century –
y
Shahjahanabad by the
Yamuna

18th Century – The Yamuna flowing by The RedFort
Century – The Yamuna flowing by The RedFort
Water resources were managed by the community

River in India has always had the status of Mother.
pp
The Yamuna has been worshipped as a
Divine holy river.

The Yamuna is revered as source of civilisation.
p
Tradition calls for prudence in use of it’s water.

The river is no longer seen as a
g
living, breathing entity

What h b
Wh t has been done
d
to clean the River?
?

Between 1995 and 2005 the government of Delhi
has incurred a total expenditure of
has incurred a total expenditure of
Rs. 1100 to Rs. 1450 crore
on building sewage and waste treatment facilities.
on building sewage and waste treatment facilities

In addition, there has been planning and funding
through YAP (Yamuna Action Plan).
through YAP (Yamuna Action Plan).
By 2006, capital investments totaling
Rs. 1,188 1,491 crore have literally gone down the
Rs 1 188‐ 1 491 crore have literally gone down the
drain.

The YAP or any plan to control river pollution, has never
looked at the 22 open stormwater drains, which flush out
Delhi’s waste into the Yamuna.

Even after the Supreme Court’s directive of
achieving the minimum desired water quality of
the river by March 2003, the pollution levels have
only risen and the river has been classified dead.

Why should Delhi
save the Yamuna?

1. Fresh perennial water, for which the river must flow
2. Recharges the aquifers
3. Allows excess rainwater to drain out
3 Allows excess rainwater to drain out
4. Beauty and recreation

A river is a symbol of identity for a region.

It is a community asset. River revitalization brings
communities that depend on it back to life.

It provides public spaces which bring people together.

River floodplains recharge groundwater

What
Wh t needs to be
d t b
done/ way forward?
/ f ?

Recently,
Recently Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said

“...Our country is blessed with mighty rivers
y g y
that are inextricably linked with our history, our
religious beliefs, our culture and our customs of our
people.
l

…We have decided to adopt a different and more
We
holistic approach taking the river and not the city as
the unit of planning...focus on catchment area
p g
treatment, protection of flood plains, ensuring
ecological flows and restoration of the river
ecosystem...”

Yamuna Satyagrah at Qudsia Ghat
Yamuna Satyagrah at Qudsia Ghat

The Yamuna
Satyagrah began
in Aug 2007 and
i A 2007 d
pledged to save
the Yamuna flood
plains from
encroachments.

24 hour dharnas
are carried out to
are carried out to
keep the
Satyagrah, alive
which goes on till
h h ll
date at the
Qudisa Ghat.

Save the Floodplain
Save the Floodplain

Rainwater Harvesting
R i t H ti

Annual rainfall in Delhi is substantial and the city
A l i f ll i D lhi i b t ti l d th it
area receives a normal rainfall of 611.8 mm in 27
rainy days amounting to 193 MCM, which however
i d ti t 193 MCM hi h h
goes unutilised at the moment.

We need a new approach which is localised
and cost effective, and also tries to
and cost effective and also tries to
minimise the waste to be treated.

•Maximising utilisation of existing treatment
facilities
•Cleaning the drains in Delhi
•Ensuring reuse of treated effluent (so that treated
and untreated sewage do not mix)
•Improving monitoring systems and setting
progressive standards
•Achieving dilution in the river.

Yamuna in Delhi

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Yamuna in Delhi