Yamuna pollution can't be reversed: Central Water Commission

AGRA: The Yamuna, by the time it flows through Agra, has nearly 50 times more biochemical oxygen demand ( BOD) than the permissible limit.

The Central Water Commission ( CWC) has declared that the river water at Agra is safe neither for irrigation nor for domestic use. Water in the river, now polluted beyond repair, an official said, is also contaminating ground water.

BOD is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms to break down orga nic material, in a given time and at a certain temperature. Once BOD increases beyond a certain limit, it becomes a pollutant, leading to the growth of harmful bacteria.

BOD forms when the equilibrium of chemical compounds and solid waste is disturbed in a water body .

A CWC official said, "This contamination level is irreversible. Water is unusable, both for irrigation and drinking. In fact, polluted water from the Yamuna is also partially responsible for the contamination of ground water in Agra."