What Manoj Mishra got right about Yamuna restoration

Source– The post is based on the article “What Manoj Mishra got right about Yamuna restoration” published in “The Indian Express” on 9th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Environment

Relevance- Issues related to river pollution

News– On Sunday, hundreds of volunteers from all walks of life formed a human chain along the banks of the Yamuna to raise awareness about the pollution in the river.

What are the issues with the approach to rejuvenating rivers in India?

There is no paradigm shift in the approach to rejuvenating rivers in more than 40 years. Ganga Action Plan had an STP (Sewage treatment Plant)-centred approach.

The Namami Gange plan also assigns a dominant role to STPs. The Namami Gange seems to be a replica of the GAP.

There is a lack of creative thinking. There are shortcomings in cleaning the river approach. River needs to have enough water and its floodplains shouldn’t be obstructed from recharging groundwater.

The current paradigm of pollution control aims to control the quality of the effluent at the source of the pollution. It does not bother about the river’s assimilative capacity.

What is a better approach to rejuvenate the river Yamuna in Delhi?

The Yamuna is not just about the water body that flows through Delhi. Attention should be given to what happens upstream. Care should be taken of the needs of the people who depend on it downstream.

A river has its own capacity to tackle pollution. But these are contingent on its flow. Flow depends on upstream aquifers. Besides, there are seasonal variations in the amount of water. Aquatic plants also help the river assimilate pollution.

Tackling industrial pollutants is important. No river has the capacity to cleanse inorganic pollutants. A better approach should be to account for both effluent standards and the ability of the river to tackle pollution.

Delhi should look at alternate sources for its drinking water like rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharging.

Absence of a statutory provision to safeguard floodplains is a big issue. There is a need for a River Regulation Zone, along the lines of the Coastal Regulation.

Diversion of water by building barrages does injustice to the river: “Lift not divert water” is the right strategy.

What are issues with river management in Delhi?

The master plans of Delhi paid little attention to the relationship of the city’s people with the Yamuna. Urban planning in the country does not give attention to the geomorphology of water bodies.

The industrial and drinking water needs of Haryana on the west of the river and UP on the east are predominantly met by groundwater. However, the Delhi Jal Board is getting nearly 90% of its needs from surface water.

In the past, Delhi did not depend on the Yamuna for potable water. It relied on step wells, water tanks and canals. Things began to change in the late 19th century.