Why UPPCB isn't doing anything about toxic gases from Noida's irrigation drain

A year after finding out that Noida's only irrigation drain was highly contaminated, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) is finally set to re-examine its pollution levels. 

The drain originates from Kondli in New Delhi, passes through Noida and ends in The Yamuna. 

During an earlier study carried out by the board, the water in the drain was found to be highly contaminated. It was also observed that it emitted noxious gases round-the-clock. The waste water was also found to be percolating into groundwater reserves and polluting it.           

Bhuvan Yadav, junior engineer with UPPCB, said, "It has come to our notice that waste water from the city, which should ideally be treated, is being released into the drain by the Noida Authority."

"We are going to check the inlets and outlets of all seven of the Authority's sewage treatment plants within a couple of days," he added. He pointed out that the drain was contaminated owing to manufacturing units in Kondli flooding industrial effluent into it.  

Although UPPCB is aware of the harmful gases emanating from the drain, we do not have any plan to monitor them in near future," said Yadav. "We have been monitoring Noida's ambient air quality through two manual and one automatic machines installed across the city. We, however, do not have any orders from the government to keep a track of the gases emanating from the drain."