Frothing in Yamuna, NGT panel seeks report from CPCB & DPCC

NEW DELHI: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), and Industries Commissioner, have been asked to submit a report about the reasons for a sudden froth in the Yamuna River by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) appointed Yamuna Monitoring Committee (YMC).

The YMC includes B S Sajawan, retired expert member, NGT, and Shailaja Chandra, former chief secretary, Delhi and asked CPCB; Sanjeev Khirwar, President, DPCC; and Vikas Anand, Industries Commissioner, to take swift action to identify the source of froth in the river and act against the perpetrators. The panel asked the anti-pollution bodies to keep it updated about the matter.

Owing to high levels of pollutants in the Yamuna, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Friday, July 24, reduced supplies to water treatment sites in Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla. A DJB official said that following heavy rainfalls, Haryana opened gates of drains having stagnant water with a high concentration of pollutants. Effluents from industrial units upstream of Wazirabad barrage may also have been the reason of increased pollutant levels in the river.

The YMC had asked the DPCC and the Commissioner of Industry in November last year to take the requisite steps to shut down industries that pose environmental hazards.