Environmental flow (E-Flow) in river

Context:

The Hon’ble NGT in its judgment dated 13 January 2015 and through subsequent directions in OA No 6 of 2012 and 300 of 2013 given directions for the maintenance of requisite environmental flow in river Yamuna downstream of the barrage at Hathnikund in and at in so that there is enough fresh water flowing in the river till for restoration of the river’s ecological functions.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court had in W.P. ( C ) 537 of 1992 directed on 14 May 1999, that “a minimum flow of 10 cumecs (353 cusec) must be allowed to flow throughout the river Yamuna”.

The report of the three member committee of MoWR, RD and GR on Assessment of Environmental Flows (E-Flows) has in March 2015 determined scientifically that E Flows as % of 90% dependable virgin flow at downstream Pashulok Barrage, Rishikesh on river Ganga should be 65.80%. It may be noted that the situation of river Yamuna at the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana is comparable to the situation at Rishikesh on river Ganga. In addition river Ganga at Rishikesh carries far more virgin flow in it as compared to leaner river Yamuna at Hathnikund.

E – Flow in river Yamuna

In view of the above it has been estimated that the E Flow in river Yamuna downstream of the barrage at Hathnikund should be no less than 2500 cusec (around 70% of the average minimum virgin flow of 3500 cusec reported at Hathnikund barrage during the leanest month of January). And the corresponding flow downstream of the barrage at Okhla in Delhi should be no less than 1500 cusec. These may be designated as the lower ‘river safety’ thresholds at the respective barrages. (Note: In the event that the river at Hathnikund on a day for few hours is carrying virgin flow in deficit of the designated E flow, then the entire virgin flow in the river shall be treated as the E Flow for the said duration).

It is recommended that the above figures for E flow downstream of the barrages at Hathnikund and at Okhla are designated as the desired E Flow in river Yamuna for its ecological restoration.

It is recommended that during the leanest month of January, let there be no diversion of river water at the Hathnikund barrage, so that at least for its most critical month the river flows free of obstruction.

Interim measures

It is admitted that the riparian states of , HP, Haryana, UP and Delhi would have to take a number of water conservation measures* to return increasing amount of fresh water to the river before the desired E – flow level in the river Yamuna could be achieved.

Accordingly following directions are recommended as an interim measure to achieve minimum flow of at least 1000 cusec in the river Yamuna upstream of NCT of Delhi and at least 500 cusec downstream of the barrage at Okhla in NCT of Delhi. The Delhi drinking water share of around 1000 cusec (800 cusec from Yamuna and 200 cusec from the Bhakra system) be provided in the following manner:

a) 500 cusec through the WYC system released through Munak Escape into Drain No 2** to fall into the river to reach the in Delhi through the river. b) 500 cusec provided as before to the DJB through the WYC system.

(**Note: This was the usual practice till the year 2008, when it was abruptly discontinued by the Haryana Irrigation department and the said water was then re-routed through the much downstream drain No 8 and put into the river near the village Palla in NCT of Delhi)

Once the above recommendation is put into practice then a total of a minimum of 1000 cusec would be available in the river upstream of the NCT of Delhi. It is estimated that at least 800 cusec (accounting for transit consumption by the river for ground water recharge and evaporation) of this fresh water shall reach the Wazirabad barrage in Delhi. After Delhi having extracted 500 cusec of its share from the river at Wazirabad, there shall still be 300 – 350 cusec available in the river that Delhi must release into the river downstream of the Wazirabad barrage. This shall ensure that the SC mandate of minimum of 360 cusec throughout the river is ensured at least till Delhi and the perennial nature of the river shall be restored.

Note: It may be mentioned that the impact of this level of release in the river at HKB on the current water dependence of Haryana on Yamuna waters would not be in any major manner, since Haryana is also in receipt into the WYC at Karnal of between 1800-2000 cusec from the Bhakra system through the NBK (Narwana Bhakra branch) sub-canal of which only 200 cusec is the share of Delhi. Release at

The water in the river over the 22 km of the urban Delhi stretch (Wazirabad till Okhla barrage) shall now consist of waste water 25 cumec (850 cusec) from the city of Delhi, 26 cumec (936 cusec) from the Hindon cut canal and fresh release of 300 – 350 cusec at the Wazirabad barrage. So a total of around 2130 – 2200 cusec shall be available in the river in Delhi.

It may be noted that currently some 60 cumec (2100 cusec) is the requirement of the . Thus the entire Yamuna waters in Delhi upstream of the Okhla barrage is emptied into the Agra canal at the Okhla barrage. The reason why there is no discharge during the non months into the river from the Okhla barrage.

It is recommended that till a complete restoration of E – Flow in the river Yamuna, a minimum of 500 cusec of water shall be released by the UP irrigation department (which manages the barrage at Okhla) downstream of the Okhla barrage so that there is at least 350 cusec of water in the river at Agra. This water shall be contributed by the Haryana, UP and in 50:40:10 ratio respectively. That is to say that Haryana shall contribute 250 cusec, UP shall contribute 200 cusec and Rajasthan shall contribute 50 cusec.

*Water Conservation Measures

It is recommended that in order to realize the total quantum of the suggested E Flow downstream of the barrages at Hathnikund (2500 cusec) and at Okhla (1500 cusec) following water conservation measures would be declared mandatory by all the riparian states (Uttarakhand, HP, Haryana, UP, NCT of Delhi, Rajasthan):

1. Fresh water, from surface or underground sources, to meet industrial needs shall be prohibited. All industrial needs shall be met from treated and recycled water made available from the nearby cities. Once put in place the current use of river water for industrial needs shall be discontinued and that much water returned to the river. 2. All riparian cities (Yamunanagar, Karnal, Panipat, Sonepat, , etc in Haryana; Saharanpur, Muzzafarnagar, Meerut, Shamli, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, , Vrindavan, , Agra, Etawah etc in UP and NCT of Delhi) shall resort to a mandatory rainwater harvesting, and treatment and recycle of urban waste water. With the increase in rainwater harvest, and replacement of urban non potable needs of fresh water by treated waste water, each city shall prepare a time bound program of fresh water return to the river. 3. Each riparian state shall develop a time bound farm land water conservation program to reduce the agricultural dependence on river water for irrigation. This shall be crucial to restore the designated E-Flow in river yamuna. Reduction and ultimate phasing out of use of toxic chemicals (fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides) in agriculture shall be made mandatory. 4. The cities of Yamunanagar, Karnal, Panipat, Sonepat, Gurgaon and Faridabad in Haryana, NCT of Delhi, Saharanpur, Muzzafarnagar, Meerut, Shamli, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, NOIDA, Vrinadavn, Mathura, Agra and Etawah in UP shall plug all their waste water drains currently opening into and polluting the river Yamuna and its key tributary, Hindon. 5. No industrial effluent under any circumstances shall be permitted to enter and pollute the river Yamuna and its key tributary, Hindon. Industries shall be encouraged under a time bound program to become zero-discharge. 6. Distributed reservoirs shall be constructed on the flood plains of the river, where adequate water during the monsoon months could be lifted and collected from the river for use during the lean period. For these off river reservoirs space on either banks of the river could be found utilizing the ox bow lakes and relict channels of the river. Each riparian state, beginning with the NCT of Delhi, shall take urgent measures in this respect. These reservoirs shall in due course develop into attractive areas of public recreation. Keetham jheel on the banks of river Yamuna, upstream of the city of Agra, An Ox Bow lake near Kairana in UP and a relict channel of Yamuna near Gumthala / Khukhni in Haryana are good examples. (see google images). In an extreme case where lands other than the floodplain may be required for the raising of the proposed off river reservoirs, then the land owner/s be co-opted as a direct beneficiary of the scheme in a perpetual manner under what is popularly called as “payment for ecological services” (PES). Wherein he/she continues to be paid in perpetuity a pre agreed amount (adjusted from time to time for inflation) as lease rent by the facility operator, who shall realize the amount as a cess from the water users.

Keetham lake on Yamuna bank upstream of Agra as an example of off-river reservoir

Ox bow lake of river Yamuna near Kairana in UP

Old relict channel of river Yamuna near Gumthala Rao / Khukhni in Haryana

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