'Delhi releasing polluted water into Yamuna'

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Irrigation, R N Prasher said that while the state is supplying water to Delhi in river Yamuna at Wazirabad with the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of less then 2 mg per litre, in turn Delhi has been releasing "highly polluted" water down stream of Wazirabad Barrage into river Yamuna which is having BOD of upto 43 mg per liter.

Prasher who was interacting with media persons in Faridabad today said that this "highly polluted water reaches Okhla from where it flows into Agra Canal of Uttar Pradesh and Gurgaon feeder canal of Haryana".

"This water is not even fit for irrigation and is very toxic and injurious to health of animals and human beings who come into direct contact with this water", he alleged.

Prasher said that Haryana has been raising this issue of highly polluted water being released by Delhi without carrying out proper treatment at various fora including the Government of NCT of Delhi, Union Ministry of Water Resources and Central Water Commission. However, the situation was getting worse day by day, he claimed.