We request Haryana government to take stringent action to decrease the dangerous levels of ammonia in River Yamuna: Raghav Chadha

Raghav Chadha, Vice Chairman, Delhi Jal Board today appealed to Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to rein in Haryana government’s repeated action of releasing dirty water into River Yamuna. He also released a video detailing Rohtak X-Regulator’s polluted condition, which is a result of the Haryana government releasing untreated effluents, with ammonia levels increasing to 40 ppm.

The Delhi Jal Board regularly carries out river survey works. “As per our latest survey of the Rohtak X-regulator, it was observed not only has the water turned a dirty green, but the ammonia levels have risen to an alarming 40 ppm. We would like to bring this to the immediate attention of Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Such alarming levels of ammonia are extremely dangerous and will compel us to shut down our plants, which will have a subsequent impact on the water supply in Delhi.”

Apart from Rohtak X-Regulator, the Delhi Jal Board’s team also surveyed Barota Village and DD-8 at Piao Manihari, and the ammonia levels were found to be at 6 ppm and 3 ppm respectively. It is pertinent to note that DD-8 supplies water to Delhi from Haryana. Chadha said, “We request the Haryana government to take urgent cognisance of, and immediate steps to curb the release of untreated effluents into River Yamuna.”

The Vice Chairman further said, “The water received at Delhi should be ammonia free, but the release of untreated water on behalf of the Haryana government leads to an increase in ammonia levels, following which Delhi is compelled to shutdown its plants."

How ammonia increases in Yamuna

DD-1 and DD-2 are two canals in Haryana, the contaminated water from both these canals reaches Yamuna. The DD-2 canal is also known as dye drain because this canal contains a large amount of dye from the industries, which contain ammonia in large quantities. These two canals meet each other at Shimla Gujran village in Panipat district, Haryana. These canals, flowing from Shimla Gujran village, merge into the Yamuna river in Khojkipur village and become a major polluting center in the Yamuna, where ammonia levels often reach 25-40 ppm.

Apart from CLC, DSB and Yamuna, water is also supplied to Delhi from DD-8 canal. A few kilometers along the DD-8 canal also flows another canal DD-6 (at Pyau Manhari, Haryana) in which Haryana releases huge amounts of Industrial and Domestic waste. The two canals are separated via sand sacks which are often in bad condition at many places due to which the contaminated, ammonia water of DD-6 mixes with DD-8 and thus the ammonia reaches Delhi. Apart from this, Rohtak city Drain (Rohtak X-regulator) also brings the dirty water of the entire city into the DD-8 canal. Ammonia levels in the Rohtak Drain are sometimes close to 28ppm.

It has been often noticed that the Haryana Government also keeps its STPs and CETPs closed and releases the untreated water and sewage into the Yamuna, which causes the Yamuna water to become muddy and increases the ammonia level of the water that reaches Delhi.