Ghaziabad’s Hindon River Suffers from Pollution and Garbage Deposits
The Hindon River, which flows through Ghaziabad, is facing an alarming level of pollution. A recent inspection of the river’s GT Road stretch revealed significant deposits of sludge, garbage, and remnants of puja offerings. The contamination is worsening the already polluted state of the river, affecting both the water quality and the local environment.
According to officials, much of the debris has come from upstream areas, compounded by nine untreated drains in Ghaziabad. These drains discharge large quantities of untreated sewage directly into the river, which is contributing significantly to the environmental degradation. A visit by an HT team on February 12, 2025, highlighted the foul-smelling sludge and heaps of garbage along the riverbanks. Specifically, the Chhath Ghats along the river’s banks, below the GT Road overbridge and towards the Hindon barrage, were heavily impacted. Dheeraj Verma, a sub-divisional officer at the UP Irrigation Department, clarified that the department manages the Hindon barrage area but is not responsible for maintaining the water quality of the river. He pointed out that the municipal corporation and UP Jal Nigam are the relevant authorities in charge of addressing the sludge and silt issues. Despite this, no immediate action has been taken to resolve the problem, and the pollution continues to worsen.
The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has already flagged concerns over the high levels of contamination in the river. Official data shows that the river’s dissolved oxygen (DO) levels ranged from 1.43 to 4.22 mg/litre in 2024. For aquatic life to survive, a minimum DO level of 4 mg/litre is required. Furthermore, the river’s total coliform levels ranged from 260,000 to 380,000 mpn/100ml, far exceeding the standard limit of 1,000 mpn/100ml. As a result, the water quality has been categorised as ‘E’, the lowest classification, indicating that the river water is unsuitable for drinking, bathing, and most recreational uses. Environmental experts have been sounding alarms for years about the state of the Hindon River. Sushil Raghav, a local environmentalist, emphasised that the ongoing contamination, exacerbated by untreated sewage, industrial effluents, and the deposit of thick sludge, is a long-standing problem that dates back 15 to 20 years. Despite several plans for cleaning the river being drafted over the years, the on-ground efforts have been minimal.
The Hindon River flows for about 55 kilometres through Ghaziabad, with the municipal corporation overseeing just 6-7 km of the stretch. The pollution largely originates upstream, and the deposits of sludge are a result of untreated waste entering the river. There are nine drains that flow into the river, with only two of them being treated. Plans are underway to address the problem, including a ₹450 crore project by Jal Nigam to treat four of these drains. Additionally, a desludging project, estimated at ₹38 crore, is in the works. While these initiatives offer hope for the future, the urgency of the situation cannot be understated. As the pollution levels continue to rise, the environmental health of the river, as well as the local ecosystem, remains under threat. It is critical that both the local authorities and residents take immediate action to tackle the contamination, as the Hindon River’s health is crucial for the well-being of the entire region.
