New Delhi, Feb 5 (PTI) As part of efforts to clean the Yamuna, the Delhi Jal Board will install an online monitoring system to track pollution levels in five major drains that discharge directly into the river, officials said on Thursday.
The initiative is part of the Delhi government’s 45-point action plan for rejuvenation of the Yamuna. The plan emphasis in-situ treatment of drains flowing into the river.
“After we identify the source and full length of these drains, further steps like installation of in-situ drain treatment mechanisms and construction of D-STPs are being taken. To further monitor the functioning of these measures, an online monitoring system (OMS) will be installed,” an official with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) said.
Under the Yamuna rejuvenation measures, the DJB has also started installation of 40 decentralised sewage treatment plants (D-STPS), the official added.
According to the project plan, the installation of OMS for in-situ works is expected to be completed within three months. The overall contract period, including the annual maintenance contract, will be three years.
The five drains identified for the project are the Delhi Gate drain, Sen Nursing Home drain, ISBT drain, Defence Colony drain and Jaitpur drain. All five have a direct outfall into the Yamuna.
According to tender documents, CCTV cameras will be installed to ensure continuous visual monitoring of all units, including flow meters and online analysers. The system is proposed to monitor, check and verify continuous flow measurements and water quality parameters at the inlet and outlet of the drains. These include Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO).
According to officials, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department (I&FC) is also working on desilting large drains and treating the waste flowing in them. There are around 300 sub-drains that end up in these large drains, adding to the overall pollution load.
Beyond infrastructure monitoring, the government is focusing on cleaning of the large drains like the Najafgarh drain, the officials said. Formerly the Sahibi River, it has become the largest source of pollution entering the Yamuna.
In Delhi, the Yamuna flows for 52 kilometers. A critical 22-km segment from Wazirabad to Okhla is highly polluted and remains the focal point of planning and policy efforts. PTI SSM AKY AKY
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