Take action on drain impacting Delhi’s water: NGT to Haryana

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given authorities in Haryana 12 months to complete long-term remedial measures concerning drain numbers six and eight — falling in Sonipat — stating sewage and effluents from the former were entering into the latter and eventually impacting Delhi’s water supply.
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Observing that the quality of raw water entering the Yamuna from drain number eight — being used for drinking water supply purposes — needs to be maintained, the bench has asked the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to oversee compliance and has sought a progress report before September 15, 2024.
HT had reported last week that the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) submitted a report to the tribunal, blaming the improper maintenance of drain number six behind repeated closures of its water treatment plants. It said that drain number six — a drain in the true sense of the word — was littered with garbage, silt, effluents and sludge, while drain number eight was a relatively clean stormwater drain, bringing water that is eventually used for drinking purposes in Delhi, post-treatment.
The submission said drain number six was found to be regularly overflowing and leaching into drain eight, which in turn causes problems in water treatment in Delhi due to high pollutants in the water.
It had said this was particularly affecting the production of water at Wazirabad and Chandrawal — plants that supply potable water to important areas in the Capital, including houses of the President, Prime Minister, Supreme Court, high court and the NDMC among others, adding that despite repeated letters sent to the Haryana authorities, there has been no improvement in the condition of drain number six. High pollutants, particularly ammonia, lead to a temporary closure of water treatment plants in Delhi.
Observing that HSPCB too submitted a report on March 5, NGT in its order dated March 6, said Haryana has admitted to a problem on their end, with action being initiated. This included repairing an inverted siphon on drain number six, to prevent mixing into drain number eight and dredging or desilting being done for both drains.
“The Irrigation and Water Resource Department (Haryana) has also proposed conversion of drain number six into a closed conduit pipeline in the bed of diversion drain number eight…This will prevent the intermixing of wastewater from drain number six with raw water from drain number eight. The tender for the same has been opened on 02.03.2023 and financial bids are in the process of approval…” said the submission made by HSPCB.
Noting that it was important to maintain the water quality standards of the raw water reaching Wazirabad, NGT said long term measures, including the need to construct a long circuit, needed to be done within 12 months from the date of issue of the order.
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“We directed respondents to continue to maintain the two drains regularly so that there may not be any occasion of diversion of sewage from one drain to another which may cause pollution. HSPCB shall continue to monitor… and ensure that there should not be any cause of pollution on account of any negligence in maintenance of the drains… from common effluent treatment plants,” said the order.
“HSPCB shall submit a compliance or progress report with registrar general of tribunal of next six months, by September 15, 2024,” the tribunal added.