Yamuna cleaning: Faecal sludge to free flow, CSE report charts new course
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based research and advocacy group, released a comprehensive report on Thursday that calls for immediate and systemic reforms to revive the heavily polluted Yamuna river.
The report titled 'Yamuna: The Agenda for Cleaning the River' emphasises the need to collect and treat all faecal sludge from non-sewered areas. It recommends reworking strategies for the Najafgarh and Shahdara drains, which contribute a staggering 84% of the pollution load into the river.
Highlighting inefficiencies in current sewage treatment practices, the CSE criticises the discharge of treated water into drains that are already polluted with untreated waste, rendering the treatment process ineffective. 'Each sewage treatment plant (STP) must plan not just how it will treat, but also how it will discharge treated effluents,' the report notes.
It also calls for an increase in river flow to improve the river's ability to assimilate waste. This could involve reducing water intake, enhancing storage, and directly discharging clean, treated water into the river.
The report raises concerns about unchecked industrial pollution, particularly from units operating in unauthorised areas beyond regulatory oversight.
CSE Director General Sunita Narain stated that despite years of investment and legal pressure, the river shows no sign of improvement.
'The agenda for cleaning the river is critical as a 'dead Yamuna' is not just a matter of shame, it also adds to the burden of providing clean water to Delhi as well as to the cities downstream,' Ms. Narain said.
'We must realise that cleaning the Yamuna will require much more than money. It will need a reworked plan which will guide us towards thinking and acting differently,' she added.
Faecal coliform levels, an indicator of sewage contamination, remain alarmingly high, said the report, which likens the river to a 'sewage canal.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
18 hours ago
- India Today
Tiny notes, big dreams: What pocket money taught 90s kids
It was the first of the waited near the door, restless and excited, peeking out every few minutes to catch a glimpse of their father walking down the lane. Not because they missed him more that day, but because it was pay day. And in most Indian households back in the 80s and 90s, salary day meant one more thing: pocket money would enter, tired from the long commute and the weight of bills in his briefcase. But the moment he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out those crumpled rs 5 or rs 10 notes, the room would erupt in glee. That small note was more than just money; it was freedom, status, and pure joy. Some rushed off to buy Phantom sweet cigarettes. Others saved it to rent video games on Sunday. A few stashed it in old tin boxes, waiting for the day it would grow enough to buy a comic or a friendship to 2025, and the scene has changed. Kids now get a ping on their phones, notifying them that rs 5,000 or even rs 20,000 has been transferred to their digital wallets. No waiting. No ceremony. Just a quiet notification a tap to JOY OF SMALL THINGS: LIFE IN RS 10advertisementIn a world without instant delivery and cashless transactions, even rs 10 felt magical. You didn't ask for more you planned, saved, and sometimes even bargained with siblings to pool your cash for something bigger."I used to get rs 5 every Sunday from my grandfather," recalls Gaurav Sharma, 41, from Agra. "That was my freedom money. I'd run to the corner shop to buy Phantom cigarettes (those sweet pink sticks), or rent a comic. I learned to plan, to wait. Instant gratification wasn't even a concept." Nina Arora, 66, a retired teacher and mother of two now-grown kids, remembers the ritual. "We didn't give money for the sake of it. We treated it like a reward. If my son helped with chores or behaved well at school, he got a rs 10 note. That note had so much power."For many girls, it was spent on stickers, colourful erasers, bangles from the street market, or a bar of Perk. And for most boys, it meant marbles, trading cards, or a quick joyride in the form of Mario at the neighbourhood game VS. NOW: A GENERATIONAL FLIPBOOK Today's pocket money isn't given by hand-it's sent online. Children can swipe cards, scan QR codes, and even track their expenses through analytics DIGITAL WALLET GENERATIONShruti Nair, 14, from Bengaluru, gets rs 8,000 a month as allowance. "I use it for my OTT subscriptions, ordering food, and buying clothes online. I don't like to ask my parents each time. This way I can manage my own spending," she says, scrolling through her Fampay account. This level of autonomy would've been unimaginable to their parents at that Mehta, 42, a Delhi-based mother of two, chuckles, "My son knows how to use Paytm and scan QR codes better than I do. I'm amazed at how tech-savvy they are, but I do wonder-have they ever felt the thrill of counting coins saved over three months?"advertisementLESSONS IN VALUE: DELAYED VS. INSTANT GRATIFICATIONFor 90s kids, pocket money wasn't just about spending it was about learning. That humble rs 10 note handed over once a month taught the art of budgeting long before Excel sheets existed. It taught patience, waiting weeks to afford a comic or a cricket card. It taught value-every coin saved was a step closer to a dream toy or a chocolate bar. And above all, it taught gratitude. Because pocket money came not from clicks, but from a parent's hard-earned salary and a silent understanding that this small amount carried with it love, trust, and a gentle push toward responsibility."We would save for months just to buy a Tazo cap or a movie ticket," says Deepika Joshi, 38, a marketing professional in Mumbai. "When I bought my first Walkman with saved pocket money, I felt like a queen."Today's kids are financially smart in a different way. They know how to transfer, recharge, and invest-but often miss the emotional connect that comes from waiting, saving, and dreaming about a small MONEY AS A MIRROR OF THE TIMES Pocket money has always reflected not just inflation, but aspiration. The simplicity of the past isn't necessarily better or worse-it's just different. Our kids are growing up in a world of subscriptions, gaming coins, and on-demand everything. Still, somewhere, a 40-year-old mother stares fondly at her child's digital card and remembers the joy of spotting a rs 2 coin under the pillow. Somewhere, a father picks up a Tinkle at a bookstore and smiles, remembering the day he spent his entire allowance on THAN JUST MONEYWhether it was rs 10 a month or rs 10K a tap, pocket money has always been more than just a monetary allowance. It's the first taste of freedom, the first lesson in decision-making, and a quiet doorway into adulthood. So here's to the piggy banks, the jam jars filled with coins, the secret stashes in school bags-and to every kid, past or present, who felt rich just holding their own credit: Generative AI by Vani Gupta
Mint
20 hours ago
- Mint
UPSC CSE Prelims Result 2025: How to check Civil Services prelims results at upsc.gov.in
UPSC CSE Prelims Result 2025: The Union Public Service Commission will be declaring Civil Services Examination (CSE) Preliminary Results 2025 soon. Candidates who appeared for these exams can check their result on the official website at The commission is yet to announce confirmed date and time for the declaration of the CSE Prelims Results 2025. The Commission conducted the CSE Prelims Exam 2025 on May 25 this year which consisted of two objective-type papers (MCQs). The two hours long examination carried a maximum of 200 marks. There is 0.33 negative marking for every wrong answer. Follow the steps mentioned below to check CSE Prelims Results 2025 when released: Step 1: Visit the official website at Step 2: Navigate to UPSC CSE Prelims Results 2025 link on the home page. Step 3: Enter login credentials and submit. Step 4: Check and download UPSC CSE Prelims result displayed on the screen. Step 5: Take a printout and keep a hard copy of the same for future reference. Through this UPSC Civil Services Examination, the commission aims to fill 979 vacancies which includes: 38 posts for candidates under the Benchmark Disability category 12 for those with blindness or low vision 7 for deaf candidates 10 for those with locomotor disabilities 9 for those candidates with multiple disabilities Candidates who clear all the levels of the UPSC CSE exam will be enrolled either in Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) or Indian Foreign Service (IFS). Last month, the Commission released the UPSC Calendar for the upcoming year. The UPSC Prelims 2026 will be conducted on May 24 next year and UPSC Mains 2026 will take place on August 21. The National Defence Academy (NDA) 2026 exam and Combined Defence Services (CDS) exams, which are conducted twice in a calendar year, are scheduled for April 12 and September 13, 2026.
Hindustan Times
20 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
State of India's Environment ranking: Chandigarh emerges on the top with 89.09 score
The Union Territory of Chandigarh has emerged as the national leader in the 'State of India's Environment 2025' rankings, scoring an impressive 89.09 out of 100, far ahead of all other states and Union Territories (UT) across the country. The annual report, compiled by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in collaboration with Down To Earth magazine, assesses the performance of states and UTs across critical environmental and sustainable development indicators such as forest and biodiversity, climate, waste management, water resources, etc. Chandigarh's exemplary performance reflects its commitment to sustainability and smart urban planning. The UT's high score is driven by significant achievements, including robust waste segregation and management systems; efficient urban mobility initiatives, including electric vehicle adoption and public transport upgrades; green cover expansion and biodiversity conservation, water conservation and sanitation, clean energy transition, with increasing reliance on solar power and green buildings. Saurabh Kumar, CCF Chandigarh and director, environment, Chandigarh administration, stated, 'This recognition is a result of collective action by our administration, civic bodies, and the residents of Chandigarh. We are committed to building a model city for the rest of the nation to emulate—one that thrives sustainably while offering a high quality of life.'
