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New Delhi: National Green Tribunal has issued a notice to Haryana State Pollution Control Board and the secretary (environment) in Haryana govt after thousands of fish died in the Palla stretch of the Yamuna in July this year. The tribunal took note of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s report, which stated that Haryana’s drain number eight was highly polluted and was releasing wastewater into the Yamuna.
TOI earlier reported that DPCC blamed pollution from Haryana for the death of fish in the Yamuna. The report stated that samples collected from the Yamuna showed dissolved oxygen (DO) levels before and after the mixing of Haryana’s drain water, but the sample from trunk drain eight had nil dissolved oxygen (DO) against the standard of over 5 mg/l. Similarly, the biological oxygen demand (BOD) was 2 mg/l in the Yamuna before the drain, 64 mg/l in the drain water, and 5 mg/l in the Yamuna after the drain met the river. The BOD levels should be less than 3 mg/l for the survival of aquatic life.
Commenting on the report submitted by DPCC, the bench headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava said, “The data reflects that the BOD of drain number eight before meeting the Yamuna river had a high pollution load which was affecting the water quality of the river downside of its discharge. It is also disclosed that drain number eight originates in Haryana and discharges wastewater (carrying BOD of 64 mg/l and nil oxygen) into the river Yamuna in Haryana before its entry in Delhi.”
NGT issued a notice to Haryana through the secretary, environment, and Haryana State Pollution Control Board through the member secretary and asked them to file a report on the matter.
In July, NGT took suo motu cognizance of a media report on fish death in the Yamuna.
