Despite spending around Rs 5,536 crore over the past three financial years to clean the Yamuna river, pollution in the Delhi stretch of the river continues to be a serious concern, the central government informed the Rajya Sabha.

Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Chaudhary shared the information in a written reply, stating that the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) incurred the expenditure, but multiple infrastructural gaps have prevented significant improvement in river health.

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The Yamuna enters Delhi from Haryana near Palla village, where water quality is monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) through the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). Officials said the river’s water quality varies throughout the year depending on water availability and discharge from its catchment areas.

According to CPCB data, between January and July 2025, the median Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) level at Palla stood at 4 mg per litre, while Dissolved Oxygen (DO) was recorded at 6 mg per litre. However, DPCC’s monthly report submitted to the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) showed an improvement in September 2025, with BOD at 2.5 mg per litre and DO at 9.5 mg per litre, within the prescribed limits for a clean river.

The minister outlined key reasons for persistent pollution in the Delhi stretch of the Yamuna. These include the discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage, with a treatment gap of 414 million litres per day (MLD) reported in August 2025. He also cited the absence of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in some approved industrial areas, delays in the completion and upgradation of sewage treatment projects, and shortcomings in solid waste management.

Delhi currently generates about 11,862 tonnes of solid waste daily, while the treatment capacity is only 7,641 tonnes per day, leaving a gap of 4,221 tonnes per day, the House was informed.

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To address the issue, the National Mission for Clean Ganga is providing financial assistance to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh. Under the Namami Gange Programme, 35 projects have been sanctioned for the Yamuna rejuvenation at an estimated cost of Rs 6,534 crore, aimed at creating sewage treatment capacity of 2,243 MLD. Of these, 21 projects have been completed, while the remaining are under various stages of construction.

The Centre clarified that despite substantial financial investment, the Yamuna continues to remain polluted in Delhi due to gaps in sewage treatment, industrial effluent management, and solid waste processing. Experts believe that without addressing these core infrastructure issues, achieving a clean Yamuna in the capital will remain a challenge.


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