Fix ecological flow, halt unregulated industrial waste discharge: House panel on how to rejuvenate Yamuna, Pg4

Key Highlights:

• A parliamentary panel report highlights the "profound ecological collapse" of the Yamuna River and suggests systemic changes.
• The report emphasizes fixing a scientific ecological flow, halting unregulated industrial waste discharge, and utilizing all wastewater.
• Water from Yamuna and Hathnikund barrage is primarily allocated for human use, with the environment receiving the lowest priority.
• The panel recommends reconvening the Yamuna River Basin Board to achieve a consensus on the environmental flow of 23 cubic meters per second (cumecs) during the lean season.

Detailed Insights:

• The report identifies key interventions, including fixing an ecological flow, halting unchecked sewage and effluent discharge, and recycling wastewater to rejuvenate the Yamuna.
• Ecological flow is defined as the minimum quantity, timing, and quality of water needed to maintain the health of a river's ecosystem and support dependent communities.
• Low-capacity utilization of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs), with only 34% capacity utilization in 13 plants, indicates diversion of industrial wastewater into municipal systems or drains.
• The panel recommends mapping all industrial units using a Geographic Information System (GIS) by state pollution control boards and municipal corporations.
• A real-time audit of water supply is needed to generate reliable data on wastewater generation, along with rigorous monitoring of water quality to capture pollution trends.
• The report highlights unchecked dumping of sewage into the Yamuna from households not connected to sewerage networks, with desludging tankers dumping raw sewage into open drains.
• Mapping the entire desludging tanker ecosystem is recommended to address the issue of untreated sewage discharge into the Yamuna.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Ecological Flow: The quantity, timing, and quality of water needed to sustain a river's ecosystem.
• CETP (Common Effluent Treatment Plant): A facility that treats polluted discharge from industrial units.
• GIS (Geographic Information System): A system for mapping and analyzing geographical data.