Lockdown Impact: Yamuna Is Cleaner Due To Lockdown, Say People Residing Nearby

As per a report on the website of the Yamuna revival project, industrialization has caused more pollution in the river, as only 2 percent of the river's length passes in Delhi but it contributes to 76 percent of pollution including the sewage and other wastes.

Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The Yamuna river, the lifeline of Delhi, is looking more cleaner than before due to lockdown of factories and small industrial units in Haryana and Delhi, and people residing near its banks are witnessing the welcome change in the course of one of the country's most revered rivers. Kaleemul Hafeez, who is an educationist and resides in Jamia Nagar near the bank, said that he has never seen the river so clean. "I have never seen the Yamuna so blue and pure before. Pollution has indeed killed our nature but ever since this lockdown, nature is healing itself. In the last two decades of my life, I have never seen Yamuna like this," he said. As per a report on the website of the Yamuna revival project, industrialization has caused more pollution in the river, as only 2 percent of the river's length passes in Delhi but it contributes to 76 percent of pollution including the sewage and other wastes. In a March 5 order, green watchdog NGT made stringent remarks on the agencies responsible over the present state of the river. "There is a continued failure of compliance by the authorities in spite of repeated directions of the Honorable Supreme Court and this Tribunal in the last more than 25 years. The evaluation of damage on account of degradation to river Yamuna, in monetary terms, on account of such failures has also become necessary for fixing accountability." As per the last tests reports available,before the lockdown, the level of the the ammonia readings were hovering between 1.8 and 2 ppm. The Delhi Jal Board, however, only has the capacity to treat ammonia levels up to 0.9 ppm. Former MP Sandeep Dikshit has slammed the AAP government for doing nothing to clean the river. "It's great to see the river so blue and clean but the government should ensure that the river which is lifeline of the city remains clean."