Floodwater washes away Yamuna’s stink

New Delhi: The water quality in the Yamuna has improved significantly due to a rise in inflow of floodwaters, and the river is at its “healthiest” state this year yet, experts have said. The improvement is largely due to the increased oxygen content of the water which cleanses the river and helps keep pollutants in check, they said. One of the most important rivers in the country, Yamuna passes through Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh. It merges with the Ganga at Allahabad. Yamuna has earned the unpleasant distinction of being one of the most polluted rivers in the country, but experts said the quality of water has improved in the last two days due to increased flow. On Monday, the water level in Yamuna surpassed the danger mark of 204.83 metres, forcing evacuation of around 10,000 people from the low-lying areas, after around 5,13,554 cusecs was released by the Hathini Kund barrage. Experts also highlighted that the water quality improves every year during monsoon, when the river flow improves. The flowing water contains more oxygen which helps in cleansing the water, they said. Manoj Mishra, the convener of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, termed the improvement as a “temporary effect which would go with the monsoon season”. “The quality of Yamuna water is at its healthiest state this year yet but that is due to the better water flow. Any water that is flowing always has better quality as it has increased oxygen content which cleanses the water and also prevents further pollution,” he said.He highlighted the need to maintain the healthy state of the river. “There is a need to maintain environmental flow at Hathini Kund Barrage to ensure that the aquatic flora and fauna flourish as they are dependent upon the environmental flow,” he said.  Environmental flow is quantity, timing, and quality of water flows required to sustain freshwater and estuarine ecosystems. “You will notice that the typical Yamuna stink has disappeared these days. It is due to the increased water flow,” he said. The experts, however, expressed apprehensions about the longevity of the improved state of the river. (PTI)