New Delhi, October 2: A committee appointed by the Supreme Court has identified domestic sewage as the biggest source of pollution in the Yamuna with Uttar Pradesh accounting for the largest sewage treatment gap among the states along the river according to its report.
The six member panel headed by the Union Home Secretary assessed sewage generation across Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. It estimated that around 7,999 million litres per day (MLD) of domestic sewage is generated in the Yamuna catchment.
Of this, about 6,243.83 MLD is currently treated leaving nearly 1,756 MLD untreated. This represents a treatment gap of around 22%.
The committee noted that 520 major drains discharge into the Yamuna basin. Uttar Pradesh has a sewage treatment gap of about 34%, while its gap for non-sanitary wastewater is around 63%.
The report also highlighted that several sewage treatment plants are operating below their installed capacity, while wastewater continues to reach the river through drains without adequate interception or treatment.
Industrial pollution remains concentrated in specific areas, with around 6,300 water polluting industries operating across the Yamuna catchment. The panel also identified dairy waste as another source contributing to river pollution.
The Supreme Court expanded its scrutiny of the Yamuna after hearing a petition concerning the discharge of untreated sewage into the Kondli drain from Noida. The court appointed advocate K. Parameshwar as amicus curiae on April 29 and constituted the committee on May 21.
To tackle the pollution problem, the panel has proposed investments exceeding ₹20,000 crore for sewage treatment infrastructure. The proposed measures aim to reduce pollution entering the river, improve environmental flows and support the restoration of aquatic ecosystems.
The committee has stressed that timely implementation, continuous monitoring and coordination between governments will be important for improving the Yamuna’s water quality. The panel is scheduled to present its findings before the Supreme Court on October 7.