Abstract
Yamuna river is one of the important all-weather rivers of India originating from Himalayas. In India rivers are seen with great respect and draw ethical values. Regular fairs and community baths are organised on important occasions on the riverbanks. The river Yamuna covers 345,850 sq km of area while traversing from Himalayas to the plains of Uttar Pradesh at Allahabad and there it loses its identity. It serves as lifeline to the people while flowing through its path. It provides drinking water, irrigation to a vast area and helps in generating electric power.
However rapid industrialization, deforestation and urbanization led to large discharge of industrial waste and sewage system to this, otherwise clean river. This has resulted in condition when water has become unfit for drinking. It is not safe for even animals, birds, fishes etc. The level of total coliform is twice the permissible limit at the time when Yamuna enters Delhi, becomes 25 times till it leaves Delhi. This all happens in a short span of traversing 21 km of so called ‘Delhi segment’.
With the awareness created recently, steps are being taken to plant trees along the catchment area to prevent flow of loose soil to river. Initiatives have also been taken to control flow of untreated industrial waste and raw sewage to the river.
Introduction
India is herited with plenty of all weather rivers. These rivers traverse most part of country. Most of the rivers are seen with interest by beneficiary population of India and thus have a great significance. A near Goddess status has been given to rivers like Ganga. Yamuna being one of the major tributaries of Ganga also gets same credentials. According to a sacred myth, all sins are washed away by bathing seven times in the Yamuna. Yamuna, more colloquially known as Jamuna, rises from the Bundar Poonch glaciers in Uttarkashi, which is also known as Jamunotri. It is joined by Tons river, which is the largest tributary of Yamuna along the border of Himachal Pradesh. When it reaches the North Indian plains it is met with its other tributaries like Chambal,Betwa and Ken. The river covers as many as seven states and it flows almost entirely through Delhi, where it is also exploited the most. Such is the Impact of Yamuna and other North Indian rivers that the entire region is regarded as most fertile land in the Indian subcontinent. The total area it covers before merging to majestic Ganga is 345,850 square km.
Pollution problem of Yamuna
In the past the river used to be the main source of life for drinking water, communication and irrigation. Thus serving as the lifeline for the human kind. The pollutants were limited to storm water drains. But with the post world war II in general and post independence in particular, India witnessed massive deforestation leading to soil erosion and related problems. Simultaneously industrialization and emphasis of modern living gained momentum. All the major industries are on the bank of one or the other river. Yamuna outnumbers any other river in the number of industries on its banks. This is because it passes through many major (post independence) industrial cities. But real problem of Yamuna pollution starts when it passes through state of Delhi. Research shows that before it passes through Delhi, the water quality is very much under control. The stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla barrage in Delhi is only 2% of its catchment area, but it contributes about 80% of the river’s total pollution load. More than 57 million people depend on the Yamuna River for drinking water, but at least 720 mld (190 mgd) of wastewater entering the river is untreated, according to the National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD; New Delhi), the federal agency responsible for cleanup efforts in India. Organic pollutants and pathogens in wastewater make up approximately 75% to 80% of the river's pollution load, while most other pollution comes from industrial discharges. About 2000 million litres of sewage is pumped into the river from Delhi every day, and its water is now unfit to support any life. Among the first causalities is aquatic flora and fauna, which support many birds and mammals, which are involuntary sufferers. Many exotic bird and fish species are thus either become locally extinct or are on the brink of extinction. There are 16 major drains along the stretch that discharge treated and untreated wastewater from industries and sewage of Delhi and Haryana. The Hindon Canal also discharges waste from Uttar Pradesh in this stretch. The 22 km between the Wazirabad and Okhla barrages is called Delhi segment, while the 490 km stretch between Okhla barrage and the confluence with the Chambal River is known as the eutrophicated segment because of the quality of its water.
Average value of typical physico-chemical parameters in three locations in Delhi along the Yamuna is depicted in report. According to the report the value of total coliform upstream of Delhi is twice the standard value that means the pollution level is already twice before Yamuna enters Delhi. After it passes through Delhi, the pollution level goes 25 times the maximum allowable!
Though the point sources like industrial waste and sewage are the first order contamination sources in our rivers, the non-point sources are also major contributor to the Yamuna pollution. Non-point source pollution means water pollution other than that caused by a discharge pipe from a factory or municipal sewage treatment plant. Even though animals also contribute to non-point pollution, most of non-point pollution is due to human activities. Construction related erosion, sedimentation, agricultural storm water runoff, outdated urban septic systems, fertilizers and pesticides are some of the resultant contaminants in Yamuna due to non-point sources. Levels of such contaminants in both surface and ground water is disturbing. Once the contaminants enter the water source, there is a difficult and expensive procedure to remove them.
As a result to the growing water pollution, mineral water market is growing with a tremendous pace. Earlier it used to be the luxury only suitable for rich, now it has become popular in lower middle class also. There is a great scope of this industry in India with a current turnover of 300 crore and a staggering growth rate of 50% per annum. But in India as the quality consciousness is always lacking, there are increasing number of reports of harmful liquids being sold on the name of mineral water.
The CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) monitors the water quality of the Yamuna in Delhi, and it is graded in the severely polluted category, fit only for recreation, aesthetics, and industrial cooling. According to the CPCB, 70% of the pollution in rivers is from untreated sewage. The remaining 30% is from industrial source, agricultural run-off, garbage, etc. Delhi's population, which stood at 9.37 million in 1991, is now estimated to be around 13 million, and is projected to rise to 20 million by 2010. The Yamuna is the source of 70 per cent of Delhi's water supplies; and raw water required in 2010 would approximately be 4,030mld, with generated sewage at around 3,920mld. Currently, though, Delhi has the capacity to treat only 1,153mld sewage, while its sewerage network is capable of delivering only 885.3mld to the STPs. Although raw water requirements for Delhi are likely to be met by water stored in the Tehri dam, sewage treatment remains a sore point. "2,083mld of wastewater is generated within the sewered areas of Delhi," notes a recent Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report. "Even in the sewered areas, all sources of wastewater (including households) are not connected to the sewerage system. As a result, a significant volume of wastewater generated remains untapped and finds its way into open drains." It comes as no surprise, then, that Delhi treats only 35 per cent of its sewage.
Steps already taken
With the recent awareness towards the water pollution, Delhi government has finally woken up. It has launched a massive drive to plant trees along with the catchment area to prevent the erosion of the loose soil. Near about 20,000 sapling are already planted till 2001 and there is a target of 60,000 saplings. These plants not only help to sustain the soil they work as carbon sink for the city also. This will surely improve the poor air quality of Delhi.
In a recent development, Supreme Court has banned the discharge of any effluent by Delhi and Haryana industries. Delhi government has also set up a vigilance squad to monitor these industries. Delhi pollution control committee (DPCC) issues notices to additional 800 industries for polluting the river. A Yamuna purification drive was launched by Public health department in which 15 cities are actively involved. In this drive the first thing was to control the raw sewage into the river. There are 11 treatment plants along 83 km long sewer line. These have helped in the reduction of pollution level from 200 mg/l to 30mg/l.
Clearly, there is a lot of activity to improve the quality of Yamuna water. In spite of all these efforts, it will be quite some time before we see Yamuna again in its former glory.
River as one entity
Rivers don’t follow human boundaries but bound their own path! But people and governments of different states (through which Indian rivers pass en route sea) do not seem to understand that. People and governments of each state through which the river pass consider it as their own property with no sence of the downstream effect. Unless rivers are treated as one entity with no boundaries the problem is not going to be solved. But in India, blissfully unaware of the concequencies, people keep on exploiting the rivers wishing the downstream user will eventually solve the problem. It is therefore the duty of government to direct different state governments to join hands. Some fifty years ago, the condition of river Rhine was just like any Indian river. The idea of treating rivers as an entity came only when the six countries through which it flows formed a joint commission to start a cleaning drive. The effort payed off and the project is known as ‘the most impressive environmental achievement in the world’.
A totally new sewer system
While our scientists are thinking about nuclear weapons and space shuttle, nobody seems to be bothered about the old, outdated sanitation system of Indian cities. There is absolutely no thinking about need to find environmentfriendly sewage system in our country. The present strategy is to invest in huge river clean up programmes like the Ganga Action Plan, the Yamuna Action Plan or the National River Action Plan to treat sewage. The purpose is to divert the sewage to a treatment plant with the same outdated technology, which was used 50 years ago. This contributes to a lot of burden to the government, as these treatment plants require a huge investment.
What we require is a cost effective, new sewerage system for human and industrial waste disposal. We should learn from the other countries that are looking for other alternative paradigms for the sewage disposal. Dry sanitation or the sanitation which uses less or almost no water for the waste disposal is what which we should look for. The modern sanitations systems should be based upon traditional science of recycling but should use the latest technologies to do so.
Stringent regulations for toxic discharge
Serious incidents resulting from spillages or discharges of toxic chemicals are the pollution events that make the news. For example, just one litre of insecticide killed over 1,000 fish in the River Glaven in Norfolk,UK. Similar incidents keep on happening in many Indian rivers. In a recent incidence, hundreds of fishes were found floating dead in Sutlej river in Punjab. Along with fish many species of fish eating birds like Darters, Cormorants, Storks, kingfishers and various exotic ducks as well as mammals such as otters are involuntary sufferers. The impact of a slow build-up of pollution over a long time and in a wide area can be even more serious. Unfortunately in most of Indian cities, toxic discharge by industries, Hospitals and such other organizations is simply dumped into any nearby water body.
Thus government of India should enforce stringent regulations of toxic discharge into rivers. Even though there are laws to protect the Indian rivers, most of people do not know about them. In 1976, when the Indian parliament passed the 42nd amendment to its constitution safeguarding the environment, it became the first country in the world to do so. The amendment was to “endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wild life of the country.” It imposes a duty on every Indian citizen “to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures.” According to the Environment Protection Act of 1986, Environment is that which includes the “inter-relationship which exists among and between water, air, and land and human beings, other living creatures, plants, microorganism and property.” Essentially, The Water (Prevention & Control) Act, 1974 can be considered to be truly the first regulations. It has been amended many times since then.
Following are the basic Pollution control acts provided by government of India:
- The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and its amendments
- The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1974 and its amendmentsThe Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and its amendments
- The Environment (Prevention) Act, 1986 and its amendments
- National Environmental Tribunal Act of 1995
- National Environmental Appellate Authority Act of 1997
- Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, July 1989
- The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
Water harvesting
Water harvesting is the area where we are still very primitive. There is no systematic study on the area of water harvesting in India. Water harvesting is the area of research, which has to be exploited to its fullest in order to save our river systems. Union ministry of urban affairs and poverty alleviation had recently (2001) passed a notification making rainwater harvesting mandatory in Delhi. There was a new leash of life to the rivers in Rajasthan when water harvesting structures were built in Alwar district in Rajasthan. Some reports in press have started pouring in when some inhabitants of a Delhi housing society have reported significant benefits from water harvesting. If the reports are correct and people are getting such a benefits then this could be made mandatory for the group housing.
Change in mindset
People, particularly those living along the banks of the Yamuna, should realise that it is a sacred river and not a garbage ground or a dustbin to throw waste. People have to change their mindset with regard to the Yamuna. One of the tasks of Yamuna action plan is to launch a massive awareness campaign among people here so that they can change some of their habits, which tend to become a major source of polluting the river. The Delhi Government and the Slum Department of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi have already planned a massive awareness campaign.
Concluding remarks
According to an ancient quote, bathing in Yamuna absolved all the sins; such was the purity of water. Today, the condition of Yamuna water is so much critical that its total coliform count is 25 times the standard (drinkable water). So pathetic is the condition of water that it cannot sustain much of marine life and most of the exotic fish are either endangered or already become extinct. Fish depending fauna is also on depleting trend and most of the waders are no more seen on the Yamuna river. Total eco system associated with the river thus becomes totally disturbed. Immediate actions are thus necessary to improve the quality of water in the river, which are discussed in detail., some of them being the harvesting of water, new eco-sanitation system and implementations of stringent regulations. The most important one is the change in mindset of people, because all these things will be useless if we do not respect nature’s gifts to us.