Khattar urges Kejriwal to ensure no untreated effluent released into Yamuna

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday wrote to his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal expressing serious concern over the release of "highly polluted" water into the Yamuna river and Gurugram canal. He urged Kejriwal to direct all the departments concerned of Delhi government to ensure that no untreated or partially treated effluent is released into the river and the canal.

In the letter, Khattar said the Yamuna enters Delhi at Palla in Sonipat district and then again near Okhla Head in Basantpur village in Faridabad district. It travels at a stretch of 52 kms in the NCT of Delhi. "During this course, more than 60 drains having partially treated or untreated effluent of industrial or domestic sources, outfall into it. This causes severe pollution of the river before its re-entry into Haryana," he wrote in the letter.

According to an official release, Khattar highlighted that Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in the river at Basantpur village during July-December, 2018 has ranged from 45-46 milligram per litre against the permissible limit of 3.0 milligram per litre. The BOD in Gurugram canal, the only major source of irrigation water for the Mewat area, ranged from 32-45 milligram per litre during the same period. This, Khattar said, is a matter of grave concern as the release of highly polluted water into the river and the canal severely affects the health of a large number of families of Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal and Nuh districts.

Besides, it also badly impacts agricultural productivity of the farmers of these districts, he wrote. "Hence, there is a dire need for the Delhi government to treat the effluent and to ensure that only fully treated sewage is released into the river Yamuna," Khattar asserted.

(With inputs from agencies.)