What is the current state of Delhi's sewage treatment plants for the Yamuna?

Six of the 13 installed common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) in Delhi are failing to meet EPA standards for key pollution markers.

Which industrial areas in Delhi lack common effluent treatment plants?

Eleven industrial areas in Delhi lack CETPs, contributing untreated waste directly into waterways.

What environmental compensation has DPCC imposed on polluters?

The DPCC has imposed ₹19.10 crore in environmental compensation on CETP societies and operators for violations.

Home / Environment / Delhi's Yamuna Blues: Untreated Industrial Discharge Persists

Delhi's Yamuna Blues: Untreated Industrial Discharge Persists

29 Nov, 2025

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Summary

Six of Delhi's 13 common effluent treatment plants fail EPA standards.
Several industrial areas lack treatment plants, discharging waste directly.
Over ₹19 crore in environmental compensation has been imposed but is challenged.

Delhi's Yamuna Blues: Untreated Industrial Discharge Persists

Delhi's ongoing efforts to modernize its sewage treatment plants for the Yamuna River are being undermined by the persistent issue of untreated industrial discharge. The latest report from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) reveals that six out of thirteen operational common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) are failing to meet crucial Environmental Protection Agency standards for key pollutants.

Specifically, CETPs in Badli, Lawrence Road, and GTK Road exceeded permissible biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels, while those in SMA Industrial Area, Narela, and Okhla failed to meet sulphide standards. Compounding this, eleven industrial areas within the city lack any CETP infrastructure, leading to direct discharge of untreated waste into waterways that feed the Yamuna. The existing 13 CETPs are also operating at less than half their total capacity.