Delhi to get relief from ammonia spike as Hry drain project nears completion

Delhi is finally seeing a significant win in its long fight against frequent ammonia spike in the Yamuna River, with Haryana's crucial project to convert the polluting Diversion Drain No. 6 (DD-6) into a closed conduit system now 98% complete. This move, detailed in a June 25, 2026, affidavit to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), means industrial waste from the drain, which previously threatened Delhi's drinking water, will soon be fully contained. For years, high ammonia levels in the Yamuna, often exceeding treatment plant capacity of 1 part per million (ppm), have forced Delhi's key water treatment plants, like Wazirabad and Chandrawal, to cut production, leaving many parts of the city with water shortages. This Haryana project directly addresses a major source of this pollution, as DD-6 was found to carry over 42 Million Liters per Day (MLD) of industrial waste through 35 discharge points, even though it was originally meant for stormwater. Meanwhile, water from both DD-6 and the freshwater DD-8 is currently being rerouted through the Najafgarh drain as a temporary measure. Looking ahead, Haryana has committed to tapping all identified pollution points by June 30, 2028, as part of a larger action plan that also targets a December 31, 2027, deadline for other Yamuna cleanup projects, including new Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). Delhi itself is pushing its own efforts, with the Delhi government approving an 860-crore project in May 2026 to build 12 decentralized STPs along the Najafgarh drain, the capital's largest pollutant conduit, aiming for completion by June 2027. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also stepped in, calling for coordinated efforts from Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, with progress reviews every 20 days, signaling a unified push for a cleaner Yamuna.