UP, Delhi silent on Haryana's concern over Yamuna Pollution

Chandigarh, May 31 (UNI) Haryana Government today expressed its deep concern over non-cooperative attitude of neighbouring Delhi and Uttar Pradesh over the growing level of pollution in the Yamuna river in their territory.

Addressing a press conference here, Haryana Minister of State for Environment and Forests Kiran Choudhry said even though state government had written to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, urging them to take effective steps to control pollution in the river, which was reaching alarming proportions, there has been no response from UP while the Delhi government's response also indicated that it was hardly serious about the matter.

Noting that at least 21 drains of Delhi and one major Shahadra drain of Uttar Pradesh were carrying untreated or partially treated effluents into the river, Ms Choudhry said Haryana State Pollution Control Board has been monitoring the quality of water in the river and the state government had taken effective measures to control pollution in it.

The quality of the river water at village Palla on Haryana-Delhi border was very good since the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) level was well within the permissible limits which ranges from 1.44 to 2.76 mg per litre against the permissible limit of three mg per litre, she said.

''However, when the river again enters Haryana via Okhla Barage, its BOD shoots up to 21 to 27 mg per litre, which was a matter of grave concern,'' she added.

Due to the pollution levels reaching alarming levels in the river, Haryana's Faridabad, Palwal and Mewat districts were badly affected and the quality of Agra and Gurgaon canals had deteriorated because of the pollution caused by Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in the Yamuna river, she said.

MORE UNI JN GL HS1851