River Yamuna resembles a drain: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday said all parameters of water quality of river Yamuna indicates that it more or less resembles a drain and asked authorities to make a joint effort to make it pollution-free.

"All authorities are expected to make some joint efforts to make Yamuna free of pollution," a bench of justices Swatanter Kumar and SJ Mukhopadhaya said while asking the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to conduct a joint inspection on rising pollution level of the river in the national capital.

It asked the agencies to make the joint inspection along with the amicus curiae or his representative and submit the final report within three weeks so that the matter can be taken up for hearing on November 30.

The court noted the submission of CPCB counsel, Vijay Panjwan that the cumulative assessment of all parameters of water quality indicates that river Yamuna is not conforming to the desired levels and it more or less resembles a drain, especially after the Wazirabad area in Delhi.

CPCB also told the court that on the basis of information so far collected on inspection of the Yamuna, the river does not have fresh water.

Further, it said the national capital does not have a proper drainage system, which was a contributing factor in the pollution of the river.

The counsel said there are 30 sewage treatment plants but even they are underutilised to the extent of 37%.

"Only 63 percent of the sewage treatment plants are operational at present in the region," CPCB said.