Context-

Recently it has been noted that due to the increase in ammonia levels in the Yamuna near Wazirabad, water supply in the Delhi was hit. Water production was hit due to heavy sewage and industrial discharge from Haryana and government asked people to use water judiciously.

River Yamuna-

• Source of river- It originates from the Yamunotri glacier on the Bandarpunch Peak in the Garhwal region in Uttarakhand at an elevation of about 6,000 meters.
• It flows in a southerly direction swiftly through the Himalayan foothills and, exiting Uttarakhand, onto the Indo-Gangetic Plain, along the border between Uttar Pradesh and Haryana state to the west.
• It is the largest and the most important tributary of river Ganga.
• It cuts across the Nag Tibba, the Mussoorie and the Shiwalik ranges. It emerges out of the hilly area and enters plains.
• It merges with the Ganga near Triveni Sangam, Allahabad.

The confluence of the two rivers is a sacred place to Hindus and is the site of annual festivals, as well as the Kumbh Mela, which is held every 12 years and is attended by millions of devotees.

• The total length of the Yamuna from its origin till Allahabad is 1,376 km.
• In the early 1990s the national government, with financial assistance from Japan, began implementing the Yamuna Action Plan, a multiphase project that has been partly successful at reducing the river’s pollution levels.
• It makes the highly fertile alluvial, Yamuna-Ganges Doab region between itself and the Ganges in the Indo-Gangetic plain.
• It’s non peninsular tributaries – Rishiganga , Uma, Tons, Hindon
• It’s peninsular tributaries- Chambal , Sind, Betwa, Ken
• In the upper reaches, the main valley is overlooked by numerous hanging valleys, carved by glaciers during the last ice ages. The gradient of the river is steep here and the entire geomorphology of the valley has been influenced by the passage of the river.

Facts to remember-

• The Yamuna defines the state borders between Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and between Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
• The cities of Baghpat, Delhi, Noida, Mathura, Agra, Firozabad, Etawah, Kalpi, Hamirpur, and Prayagraj lie on its banks.
• The Kalesar National Park is one of the best parks in India and is situated on the geographical boundary of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It has the Yamuna river flowing on one side of it.
• Okhla Bird Sanctuary also known as Shaheed Chandra Shekhar Azad Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary at the Okhla barrage over Yamuna River. It is situated in Noida, Gautam Buddha Nagar district, on Delhi-Uttar Pradesh state border.

Tons river-

• The Tons, largest tributary of the Yamuna, has some magical spots in it’s upper reaches. The river originates at an elevation of 3900 m and joins the Yamuna below Kalsi near Dehradun, Uttarakhand. It is one of the major perennial Indian Himalayan rivers. It is the biggest tributary of the Yamuna.

Chambal river-

• The Chambal rises in the highlands of Janapao Hills (700 m) in the Vindhyan Range.
• It flows through the Malwa Plateau.
• It joins the Yamuna in Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh.
• Dams- Gandhi Sagar dam, Rana Pratap Sagar dam, Jawahar sagar dam, Kota barrage.

Sind river-

• The Sind originates in Vidisha Plateau of Madhya Pradesh. It flows for a distance of 415 km before merging into the Yamuna.

Betwa river-

• The Betwa rises in Bhopal district (Vindhyan Range) and joins the Yamuna near Hamirpur . It has a total length of 590 km. It’s important tributary is Dhasan.

Ken river-

• The Ken river rising from the Barner Range of Madhya Pradesh joins the Yamuna near Chila.

Sources - The Hindu, indiawris, britannica