Description

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Context:

The Haryana-Delhi Yamuna water dispute has resurfaced as a major political issue, with the Delhi CM accusing Haryana of polluting the river with untreated sewage and industrial waste.

About Haryana-Delhi dispute

Category	Details
Accusations of Water Contamination	The Chief Minister of Delhi described Haryana's actions as "water terrorism" and wrote to the Election Commission. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) reported that ammonia levels in the Yamuna exceeded safe limits.
Cause of Ammonia Contamination	Ammonia levels increase due to untreated wastewater and industrial waste from Haryana entering the Yamuna River.
Legal and Political History	The Yamuna water-sharing dispute has been ongoing since 1995.
1994 Memorandum (MoU)	Five states (Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh) signed an agreement to regulate Yamuna water distribution.
Supreme Court Interventions (1995-1996)	The Supreme Court intervened to ensure Delhi received its legitimate share of water from Haryana. Despite multiple legal battles, the issue remains unresolved.
Supreme Court Rulings	The court has repeatedly ruled that Haryana must ensure Delhi gets its fair share of Yamuna water.
Recent Developments
2018	The Supreme Court ordered the chief secretaries of Delhi and Haryana to resolve water disputes.
2021	Delhi accused Haryana of withholding Yamuna water, while Haryana blamed Delhi's internal mismanagement for the crisis.
July 2023	During floods in Delhi, the Delhi government accused Haryana of deliberately releasing excess water from Hathnikund Barrage.
June 2024	The Delhi CM accused Haryana of plotting against Delhi and launched an indefinite hunger strike, which ended after five days due to health issues.

Why Yamuna in Delhi has high ammonia levels?

Parameter	Details
Ammonia Concentration in River	7.4 ppm (parts per million)
Safe Limit for Water Treatment	1 ppm
Acceptable Limit in Drinking Water (Indian Standards)	0.5 ppm
What is Ammonia?	A colorless gas used in industrial chemicals for fertilizers, plastics, synthetic fibers, dyes, etc.
Chemical Composition	Consists of hydrogen and nitrogen (NH₃). In aqueous form, it is called ammonium hydroxide.
Odor	Pungent
Occurrence	Naturally occurs in organic waste environments.
Density	Lighter than air
Sources of Contamination	Enters water sources through industrial wastewater or sewage contamination.
Toxicity to Fish	Above 1 ppm, ammonia is toxic to fish.
Effects on Humans	Long-term ingestion of ammonia-contaminated water can cause internal organ damage.
Possible Sources of Ammonia in Yamuna	Industrial waste from dye, distillery, and other factories in Panipat and Sonipat (Haryana), along with sewage from unauthorized colonies.

Impact on the inhabitants of Delhi:

The dispute led to a serious lack of water in Delhi, especially in the summer months. Increased ammonia levels represent a threat to public health and complicate water treatment processes.

Long-term vision:

The dispute remains unresolved despite legal interventions. The upcoming elections could further intensify political rhetoric in this matter. A long-term sustainable solution is necessary to solve worries about water safety in Delhi.

What needs to be done?

Strict implementation of instructions against ejecting harmful waste into the river.
Make sure the untreated wastewater does not enter the water.
Keep a sustainable minimum flow called ecological flow.
It is a minimum amount of water that should flow throughout the river in all circumstances to maintain underwater ecosystems and the liveness of man and regulation for themselves.

Yamuna River

Category	Details
Yamuna River System	Part of the Ganga Drainage System, spanning over 1,300 km, is crucial for northern India’s ecosystem.
Origin	Yamunotri Glacier, near Bandarpoonch Peak, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand.
Course	Flows through Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh; merges with Ganga at Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj.
Main Tributary	Tons River (largest tributary, originates from Bandarpoonch Glacier).
Other Tributaries	Giri River: Key water source in SE Himachal Pradesh. Hindon River: Flows between Ganga (left) and Yamuna (right). Chambal River: Originates from Janapao Hills, MP; forms badland topography. Banas River: ‘Van Ki Asha’, originates in Aravalli, Rajasthan. Kali Sindh River: Flows in Malwa, MP; joins Chambal in Rajasthan. Sindh River: Rises in Malwa Plateau, MP; joins Yamuna in Etawah, UP. Betwa River: Originates in Vindhya Range, MP; meets Yamuna at Hamirpur, UP. Ken River: Rises in Kaimur Range, MP; joins Yamuna near Fatehpur, UP.
Dams on the Chambal River	Gandhi Sagar Dam, Rana Pratap Sagar Dam, Jawahar Sagar Dam, Kota Barrage (supports irrigation in Rajasthan & MP).
Keoladeo National Park	Receives water from the Chambal River Irrigation Project.
States Traversed	Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh.
Major Cities on Banks	Noida, Mathura, Agra, Firozabad, Etawah, Kalpi, Hamirpur, Prayagraj.

Source:

INDIAN EXPRESS

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Examine the reasons behind the high ammonia levels in the Yamuna River in Delhi. Discuss the potential environmental and public health impacts and suggest measures to address this issue. (150 words)