The Jal Shakti Ministry has stated that untreated sewage, inadequate treatment facilities, project delays and a significant shortfall in solid waste processing remain the main reasons the Yamuna continues to flow polluted through the national capital. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary reported that the Delhi Jal Board has spent nearly ₹5,536 crore over the last three financial years on efforts to clean the river, yet critical gaps continue to hold back progress.
According to the ministry, Delhi has a sewage treatment gap of 414 million litres per day as of August 2025. Several approved industrial areas do not have common effluent treatment plants, and major sewage treatment projects are either delayed or in need of upgrades. Choudhary added that Delhi produces around 11,862 tonnes of solid waste daily, but only about 7,641 tonnes is treated, leaving a shortfall of 4,221 tonnes that continues to enter drains and water bodies.
The minister also provided data on seasonal variations in water quality. The Yamuna enters Delhi at Palla, where pollution levels change depending on river flow and catchment discharges. Between January and July 2025, median biochemical oxygen demand was recorded at 4 milligrams per litre, while dissolved oxygen stood at 6 milligrams per litre, figures shared by the Central Pollution Control Board.
A separate assessment by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee in September showed improvements, with biochemical oxygen demand at 2.5 milligrams per litre and dissolved oxygen at 9.5 milligrams per litre, both falling within acceptable limits.
Choudhary further informed the Upper House that under the Namami Gange programme, 35 projects worth ₹6,534 crore have been approved for rejuvenating the Yamuna. Of these, 21 have been completed, while work continues on the remaining projects. River pollution became a major political issue during the Delhi Assembly election in February last year, with rival parties trading allegations over responsibility for the Yamuna’s condition.