Gurugram continues to pollute Yamuna, recycled water sample shows, NGT action likely against GMDA

A recent sample of recycled water collected by a National Green Tribunal (NGT)-appointed team of officials from the Badshahpur drain where it meets the Najafgarh

A recent sample of recycled water collected by a National Green Tribunal (NGT)-appointed team of officials from the Badshahpur drain where it meets the Najafgarh drain on December 19—on the outskirts of the city—shows the presence of high level of pollution in the water.

HT Image

According to the report (which HT has access to) filed by officials of the NGT, the BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) is 70 mg/L—almost three times of the standard parameters. The officials told HT that this highly polluted water is being discharged into the Yamuna through the Najafgarh drain, which is dangerous for aquatic flora and fauna.

The official said the BOD is an indicator of pollution level in water—higher the BOD level, the more polluted is the water and can kill aquatic flora and fauna.

The NGT reviewed the report on January 3 in Delhi the presence of officials of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). The NGT also reviewed the GMDA report which claimed that BOD levels were under control, and refused to accept it.

“The GMDA requested NGT chairperson AK Goel for a joint sample survey of the site. We have submitted our report also and now we are waiting for a direction from the bench,” an official of the NGT said.

The GMDA treats 388 million litres daily (MLD) of water everyday at its STPs at Dhanwapur and Behrampur; of which it uses roughly 25 MLD of recycled water in green belts and discharges the remaining into the Najafgarh drain. Besides that, the city discharges roughly 80 to 90 MLD of untreated water to drains and in open areas leading to Najafgarh drain from unapproved colonies, many villages and other areas.

“We collected samples in the presence of GMDA officials on December 19; analysis of which showed STPs were not treating sewage properly. And this has been taking place despite repeated warning and reminders by the NGT. The offence amounts to a penalty of ₹5 lakh/STP/month as per a September 2019 direction of the NGT. A BOD reading as high as 70 mg/L means the water is highly polluted (moderately polluted rivers usually have a BOD reading between 2 and 8 mg/L. Rivers are considered severely polluted when the water’s BOD reading exceeds 8 mg/L) and is not good for the Yamuna. The green bench wants to protect the Yamuna from getting further polluted by untreated or ill-treated sewage disposal by the three states of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Haryana,” the official said, adding that penalties will be imposed as per the NGT directions.

However, the GMDA sample reports of the past two months have been showing BOD levels between 30 mg/L and 20 mg/L that the NGT team has refused to accept.

VS Kundu, GMDA chief executive officer (CEO), said, “We have requested the NGT for a joint sample survey after they refused to accept our report. We held a meeting with the NGT in this regard and want to fix the problem—that is our main motive. If there is a problem or pollution in water even after treatment at STPs, we will certainly resolve that for the larger interest of the city’s environment.”

The NGT has been hearing the case of polluted water being discharged into the river Yamuna over the past four years and on September 12 last year, the bench set December 31, 2019, as the deadline to fix problems at STPs. It also said that none of the natural drains in the city should have polluted water or there would penalties imposed to the tune of ₹5 lakh/STP/month and ₹10 lakh/drain/month from January 1, 2020.