Yamuna River Pollution Crisis: Delhi Minister Defends Cleanup Efforts Despite Unsafe Water Quality Report

"Compared to the last ten years, there is a clear improvement," Parvesh Verma stated

New Delhi:

Delhi's political tensions escalated on Saturday following the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) report revealing deteriorating water quality in the Yamuna, just before Chhath Puja when thousands of devotees plan to take a sacred dip.

While the report indicates the river remains unsuitable for bathing across most areas, Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma defended the BJP-led administration saying they "don't hide reports" and have worked "with full honesty" on river cleanup efforts.

"The difference between samples taken on the 9th and those taken today is like night and day. Women at the ghats are saying they've never seen the Yamuna this clean. This reflects seven months of dedicated work," Verma explained.

"We never promised the Yamuna would be cleaned in seven months. It's a three-to-four-year initiative. But compared to the past decade, there's evident improvement," he further noted.

Delhi AAP President Saurabh Bhardwaj criticized the government based on the DPCC report, alleging they were playing politics with pollution ahead of Bihar elections.

"The Yamuna is neither fit for drinking nor bathing. The BJP government is endangering the lives of Purvanchal residents," Bhardwaj claimed.

Verma countered by highlighting visible improvements along the ghats and emphasized the government's transparency regarding ongoing remediation work.

The administration has established hundreds of temporary ghats along the Yamuna for Chhath Puja and deployed sanitation and safety teams.

The DPCC October 2025 report, based on October 9 samples, reveals the river remains largely unsafe for bathing except at Palla - where the Yamuna enters Delhi.

Officials reported improved water quality after October 21, when Haryana increased water release from the Hathnikund Barrage, enhancing river flow.

Drains across the capital remain a primary pollution source. Most of the 27 major drains tested exceeded safe limits for Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD).

The Molarband and Sahibabad drains showed the worst pollution levels, with BOD at 145 mg/l and COD at 416 mg/l, almost five times above permissible limits.

Other highly polluted drains include Shahdara, SEN Nursing Home, and Sarita Vihar Bridge. Six drains, including Sweeper Colony, Civil Mill, Old Agra Canal, and Jaitpur, recorded no flow. Only the Abul Fazal drain approached acceptable standards, with BOD at 40 mg/l and COD at 96 mg/l.

Officials emphasized that enhanced sewage treatment and preventing untreated wastewater from entering the Yamuna are critical priorities.