“Ways to resurrect Yamuna and sustain the viability of such measures in future”
The Yamuna is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganga and the longest tributary in India. It crosses several states: Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, passing by Uttarakhand and later Delhi. In 1909, the waters of the Yamuna were distinguishable as clear blue, when compared to the silt-laden yellow of the Ganges. However, due to high-density population growth and fast industrialisation, Yamuna has become one of the most polluted rivers in the world. The Yamuna is particularly polluted downstream of New Delhi, the capital of India, which dumps about 58% of its waste into the river. A 2016 study shows that there is 100% urban metabolism of River Yamuna as it passes through the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. A Hindu devotee offers prayers after a dip in the Yamuna river, surrounded by industrial effluent. Even though the government has come up with a number of programmes, none of them has proved to be extremely successful. What remains is for the public to individ...