Ensure no untreated waste is discharged into Yamuna: Satyendar Jain

Delhi Water and Industries Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday directed officials to connect stormwater drains carrying industrial waste to the common effluent treatment plants to ensure no untreated waste is discharged into the Yamuna river.

To devise a sustainable plan of cleaning the Yamuna river by reducing the flow of industrial waste through stormwater drains, the minister held a meeting with the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, Delhi Jal Board and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute scientists.

According to an official statement, the Delhi government is planning to boost the capacity utilisation of all the 13 common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) of the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), so that all industrial waste gets treated before falling into the Yamuna river.

The minister also directed the senior officials of DSIIDC to connect all stormwater drains carrying industrial waste to the CETPs.

The Yamuna river receives an appreciable volume of untreated wastewater through stormwater drains. These drains carry both industrial as well domestic waste depending on the locality of the drains.

The CETPs, when used to their maximum capacity, can reduce the pollution load on the Yamuna river, making it clean, the statement said.

"There is enough infrastructure available with DSIIDC in the form of 13 CETPs to treat industrial waste.

"However, these are not utilised to their maximum capacity. To clean the industrial waste flowing into the Yamuna, all the available resources must be utilised to their maximum capacity and all departments must work and achieve their target within three years," Jain said.

At the meeting, the officials pointed out the issue of the discharge of industrial waste into stormwater drains by the industries. Jain directed them to connect the stormwater drains carrying industrial waste to CETPs, so that only treated and clean water is discharged into the Yamuna river.

Taking note of some industries polluting the river water, He told the officials to ensure that only industrial waste is discharged in the effluent treatment system.

Wastage of all industrial areas will be sent directly into the CETPs for treatment, Jain said, adding not a drop of pollutants will be allowed to flow into the Yamuna river.

He also instructed Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials to divert sewage flowing in stormwater drains by either plugging the source or diverting the drain into a nearby Sewage pumping station or sewer line so that no untreated wastewater flows into the river.