The water supply in the national Capital will be hit severely as two of its water treatment plants was shut on Tuesday for an indefinite period after high level of ammonia content was found in the raw water supplied by Haryana.
According to DJB, the permissible level of ammonia is 0.2 mgl (milligram per litre) but an inspection found it to be 2.6 mgl. The “abnormal rise” in pollutants in raw water forced the DJB to close the Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants for the first time and Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung has asked Haryana government as well as Central Pollution Control Board to intervene urgently.
Almost one third of Delhi’s population residing in the Walled city, Central Delhi, South Delhi and parts of North Delhi will be affected and supply of water has already been hit in some areas, the DJB said. It added that rise in the release of industrial affluent by Haryana into Yamuna has resulted to an increase in ammonia level to a high of 2.6 mg per litre (mgl) against the limit of 0.2 mgl. “The raw water supply from the Yamuna has been badly affected due to the release of industrial pollutants coming from the Sonepat and Panipat drains. Today, the ammonia level has touched an all time high of 2.6 mgl,” a DJB official said. He added that there have been several efforts to resolve the issue with Haryana but to no avail. “No concrete measures have been taken by Haryana to keep a check on the rising level of pollutants in the Yamuna water which comes from Wazirabad pond from where it goes to the two treatment plants,” the official said.
The “abnormal rise” in pollutants in raw water forced the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to close the Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants for the first time and Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung has asked Haryana government as well as Central Pollution Control Board to intervene urgently.
Almost one third of Delhi’s population residing in the Walled city, Central Delhi, South Delhi and parts of North Delhi will be affected and supply of water has already been hit in some areas, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) said.
It added that rise in the release of industrial affluent by Haryana into Yamuna has resulted in increase in ammonia level to a high of 2.6 mg per litre (mgl) against the limit of 0.2 mgl.