Pollution of Yamuna River

Toxic waste around the world has been the greatest problem.Delhi city has lots of problems regarding toxic waste and toxicity in Delhi air.The growing number of landfill sites in Delhi still under maintainance and nothing has sort out the problem of toxic waste in Delhi.There are lots of story from slum area of Delhi to landfill site of Delhi .Yamuna ,the heart of Delhi has same pain of being toxic .Vast stretches of the Yamuna, which originates high in the Himalayas and flows 855 miles to the Ganges River, are all but dead. Foam covers large swaths of the water, passersby cover their mouths and noses against the stench, yet the river holds a vital place in religious ceremonies.  But the most striking images are on the Yamuna, a dying river that may have just been granted a reprieve. But burden of overgrowing population and unchecked dumping of sewage and industrial waste has rather turned it into a horrible scene. 

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 Now, River Yamuna is seeking salvation from tormenting pollution. The Yamuna, also called Jammuna, is the second largest tributary river of the Ganges that flows through Indo-Gangetic Plains. It originates from the Yamunotri Glacier in Himalayas and flows through Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The water is clear and blue until the River reaches Haryana. Thereafter, tons of untreated sewage, industrial waste, domestic waste, and dumped garbage turn it into one of the world most polluted river.Urbanization and industrialization has literally killed River Yamuna. New Delhi, that generates 1,900 million liters per day of sewage, dumps 58 percent of its waste into Yamuna. Untreated waste that flows into it from several cities along its banks in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh is Yamuna’s biggest enemies.In Uttar Pradesh, the river is almost invisible, covered with pollutants and foam. The government has spent Rs 1,514.70 crore under Yamuna Action Plan Phase-I and Phase-II for creation of new sewage treatment capacity of 942.25 million liters per day in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.  Dhanaura Escape (Black Line, it also carries effluents brought by Ditch drain) & Augmentation Canal (Blue Line) carry polluted and potable water in different directions, both ultimately reach Delhi
Even the vegetables coming from neighbouring towns like Ghaziabad and Faridabad – where farmers rely on polluted rivers for irrigation add to the water pollution related complications for Delhiites. The drinking water that most Delhites get had been found to be contaminated with sewage water and could be harmful to health. A shocking 81 out of 116 samples of such water – it translates to almost 70 per cent – supplied across the Capital by the DJB have failed a purity test conducted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in 2012.”River Yamuna is now considered beyond redemption from pollution. The contamination has reached such a high level that it’s almost impossible to clean it. It’ll be a miracle if Yamuna could be revived. Take a look at some of the pictures depicting death of India’s most polluted river – Yamuna. Remember, almost every river in India is heading toward the same future as India is still not serious regarding prevention of dumping pollutants into its rivers.Industrial waste with all toxic chemicals has caused formation of foam over Yamuna that completely covers it. 

River Yamuna has been elevated to the status of a divine mother for the thousands of countrymen and has been held responsible for nurturing and developing the Indian civilization. Yamuna River is the largest tributary to River Ganga and at the same time the most polluted river of India. Its banks are still inhabited by several religious, mythological places, historical sites all along the course. Despite grossly polluted, it continues to sustain livelihoods of millions of people. Due to dams, hydro and other projects on Yamuna, there has been great loss of aquatic flora and fauna. In the catchment water resources are gradually shrinking. Increased diversion of water to meet the growing demand is costing the river dearly. During lean season the upper segment of the river remains dry. The middle part of the river is heavily polluted and devoid of ecological functions. The level of pollution has in many ways begun to impact the health and livelihood of people living close to or dependent on it. Several pollution control interventions worth 100s of crore of rupees have yielded no result. Most of the tributaries of the river are also suffering from lack of flow and pollution. It is the lower portion of the river which is still much alive and clean. But construction of projects like the Bara, Karchanna super thermal power plants has posed newer threats to even this stretch. The proposed Ken Betwa River Link, if taken up, will have huge adverse impacts on not only Ken and Betwa rivers, but also on Yamuna.

Myth about Yamuna  Hindu Religion 


Yamuna is next only to the Ganga in her sacredness. According to legend, Yamuna was a great favourite of her father Surya, the Sun god. Her mother Sanjna could not bear to look at her bright and dazzling husband. As she looked upon him with “samyama” (meaning restraint in Sanskrit) their son was called Yama. In spite of Surya asking her to keep her eyes open in his presence, they sometimes flickered, and so the daughter was called Yamuna.In various old temples of Northern India, Yamuna is shown on her tortoise, a symbol associated with creation in the Vedas. Even today, tortoises can be found on the banks of the Yamuna. 


After the children were born, Sanjna left her sister Chaaya (shadow) in her place pretending to be her, and returned to her parents’ home, as she could not bear the Sun’s intense brightness. Once Chaaya bore children, she was not very compassionate towards Sanjna’s children. One day, Yama, unable to tolerate Chaya’s cruelty any longer, stamped her foot hard. Enraged by this, Chaya cursed that that he would lose his foot. Yamuna his beloved sister could not bear this injustice. She came to Earth and prayed for the curse to be revoked.

In memory of this profound love between brother and sister, bhai dooj is celebrated in various parts of the country. Sisters pray for their brothers to have a long life and brothers vow to look after and protect their sisters. This is when the “rakhi” is tied.

In the Rig Veda, it is said that Yama and Yami the twins were extremely fond of each other and lived an idyllic life on Earth where the day never ended – they went where they pleased and did what they wanted. One day when Yami returned home, she found Yama lying under a tree appearing to be asleep. Not wanting to disturb him, she waited for him to wake up. When he did not wake up for a long while, she woke him up. When he did not stir out of his sleep, she shook him.


Nothing worked and Yama her dear brother lay still. Yami started to weep with such great sorrow that her tears threatened to flood the World. She missed him tremendously. The Gods came to pacify her. All she could say brokenly was – Yam died today…Yama died today.

Her sorrow was so intense that Earth suffered – fires began and raged. Slowly, it dawned on the Gods and Goddesses that Yami’s grief was not lessening, for she was stuck in time. It would be “today” forever. The Gods and Goddesses gathered and together created sunset. The calm of the darkness settled in. Yami’s sobs reduced.

 When the Sun rose the following morning Yami whispered, “Yama died…yesterday.”
Time passed and her feeling of loss reduced. And Earth – well it survived, for us to always hope for a better tomorrow. And Yami – it is said that she is the River Goddess Yamuna who flowed down to Earth.


Krishna grew up as Nanda’s son at Gokula, spending hours by the Yamuna with his friends. One day, they stopped by the river to quench their thirst. His friends drank at the river and fell dead. On looking around, Krishna noticed what he had missed earlier — birds, trees, cows, fish, and the grass — all dead!


Krishna immediately revived his friends with his magical touch. Yamuna had become toxic, for a huge serpent had moved in!


He dived in. The waters frothed because of the serpent’s poison. Sun rays couldn’t pierce the dark water. And suddenly, he was in Kalia’s grip. Coils tightened. The serpent swung him around. Overconfident, Kalia relaxed his grip. This was Krishna’s moment. In a blink, he was on Kalia’s five-headed hood. The serpent reared out of the river. It was an astounding sight – young Krishna dancing on Kalia’s hood!Every dance-step was a hammering. Terribly wounded, Kalia begged for mercy. Krishna asked Kalia and his family to move away to the deepest part of the ocean, where no one would come to harm. Kalia agreed and moved away. With the source of the poison gone and sun rays reaching the deepest parts of Yamuna, her waters were clean again.

I love Delhi ,I love Yamuna too and all we know people love this river too much as it has linked with Delhi and Hindu Mythology,people with heartfelt smile come to bank to river to celebrate chhat or Ganpati Bisarjan and dance around it.The beauty of Yamuna has turned black in color of the water and foam is very toxic as they are dangerous toxic items generated by industry and the maximum  harmful wastage has corrupted the banks of Yamuna.There is need of conservation of this river as it carries lots of significance in our life.