Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa held a high-level review meeting after The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) presented a comprehensive study detailing the severe issues of microplastics, frothing, and chemical pollution in the Yamuna river. The findings confirmed that untreated sewage, industrial effluents, and solid waste continue to create pollution hotspots along the Delhi stretch of the river.
The study, based on the analysis of nearly 100 water samples collected from over 50 critical locations, including major drains and sewage treatment plant (STP) outlets, identified elevated levels of key contaminants. These include surfactants (chemicals from detergents that cause frothing), high levels of ammonia and other organic pollution, and a significant prevalence of microplastics. The frothing, which becomes most visible during the winter when the river's flow is naturally low, is primarily caused by the unchecked entry of detergent-rich wastewater, which is violently agitated as it falls over barrages.
TERI provided a department-wise action plan, giving the Delhi government a "scientific roadmap" to address the pollution using targeted, technology-driven interventions. Key recommendations include:
Technology Upgrades: Upgrading Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) using advanced technologies like Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) and Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) to effectively tackle the high load of detergents and ammonia.
Enforcement: Strengthening enforcement to plug untreated sewage discharges, completing drain-tapping projects, and implementing strict penal action against non-compliant industrial units.
Monitoring and Control: Establishing decentralised effluent treatment systems, improving plastic and solid waste management, and setting up real-time dashboards to track pollution sources and compliance. Crucially, environmental activists noted the necessity of a national-level policy to set a maximum regulatory limit for surfactants in detergents, which is currently lacking.
Minister Sirsa directed all concerned departments -- including Environment, Industries, Health, Jal Board, and Urban Development -- to examine TERI's findings, identify priority hotspots, and prepare time-bound implementation plans. To ensure seamless, integrated action, the minister also announced the formation of a specialised interdepartmental coordination cell. This move underscores the government's commitment to scientific, data-based interventions aimed at achieving "visible changes on the ground" in the Yamuna's water quality.