Yamuna like a drain, it’s pathetic: SC

Underlining the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) submission that the Yamuna turns into a drain after traversing through certain areas of Delhi, the Supreme Court on Friday called for a collective effort by all stakeholders to rectify the “pathetic” situation.

“It is stated that Delhi does not have a proper drainage system. Yamuna is merely a drain. It does not have fresh water after Wazirabad. Out of 30 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), it is noted, that they are underutilised up to 37 per cent. It is reflected that the state of affairs is pathetic,” a bench of Justices Swatanter Kumar and S J Mukhopadhaya observed.

The court made these remarks after going through a draft report submitted by CPCB counsel Vijay Panjwani. He told the bench that the Yamuna turns into a drain after Wazirabad since industrial and domestic effluents are indiscriminately dumped into it.

According to the report, cumulative assessment of all parameters of water quality indicate that the Yamuna water fails to conform to desired levels of purity and it more or less resembles nothing but a drain, especially after Wazirabad.

Panjwani expressed doubts that the river might not have any freshwater left owing to dumping of waste and other effluents into it. An improper drainage system, as per the report, has been a contributing factor in increasing the pollution of the river.

“Only 63 per cent of the sewage treatment plants are operational at present in the region,” the CPCB said.

Expressing concern over constant increase in contamination of the river, the bench asked the CPCB to complete joint inspection of all STPs within three weeks and file a final inspection report.

It also invited different authorities to suggest measures for a proper drainage system in the city. The matter has been posted to November 30 for further hearing.

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