Ammonia in Yamuna: NGT directs Delhi, Haryana to resolve issue

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday directed the Delhi and Haryana Governments to hold a meeting to resolve the issue of high ammonia content in the water of the river Yamuna.

The high ammonia content in water is being provided to Delhi by Haryana, according to a plea by Delhi Jal Board (DJB). The petition stated that when the water enters Haryana, the ammonia level is nil and very much treatable, whereas when the water enters Delhi, the level is very high.

On Friday, a Bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim asked the Chief Secretaries of Delhi and Haryana to meet on February 20 and solve the issue relating to the pollution of the Yamuna due to the industrial discharge.

“The Chief Secretaries may summon the participation of Chairman/(in absence of Chairman) Member Secretary of the Upper Yamuna River Board and Member Secretary of Central Pollution Control Board to participate in the meeting and assist in resolving the issues,” it said.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the ammonia was found at Tajewala in Haryana, Wazirabad water treatment plant, Okhla and ITO barrage in Delhi.  The CPCB reported that ammonia level at Hathnikund Barrage was 0.6 mg per litre (mgpl), 1.9 mgpl at Wazirabad, and 24.9 mgpl at ITO barrage as on February 14. At Okhla, ammonia content was 0.8 mg per litre on February 15.

The tribunal ordered the State Governments to submit the result of the meeting by February 21. Earlier the Supreme Court ordered Haryana to supply sufficient water and keep reservoirs of Wazirabad and Haiderpur to their optimum capacity.

The DJB, which supplies water to the city, had approached the tribunal demanding that Haryana be asked to take urgent steps to check the “dangerous level of ammonia” in the river Yamuna.

The petition stated that the water being released by Haryana was so polluted that it cannot be treated for drinking, further pointing out, “a huge and irreparable loss to the residents of Delhi and has a potential for a grave health crisis and water crisis in the National Capital Region (NCR)”.