What are the main obstacles facing Indian river restoration projects?

Severe Organic Waste and High Pollution Loads: Urban stretches face overwhelming volumes of untreated sewage and industrial effluents. In key areas like the Yamuna in Delhi, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels exceed the 3.0 mg/L limit for outdoor bathing by several times, while faecal coliform levels remain drastically higher than the permissible threshold of 2,500 MPN per 200 ml.

Institutional Fragmentations and Governance Gaps: Over the past several decades, India has instituted numerous legislative acts and dedicated missions—including the Water Act (1974), Environment Protection Act (1986), Ganga Action Plan I & II, Yamuna Action Plan I & II, National Ganga River Basin Authority, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Namami Gange, and the National Ganga Council. However, these sequential plans have struggled to deliver desired ecological outcomes.

Expanding Scope of Pollution Despite Heavy Expenditure: Financial investments have escalated substantially, with over ₹24,298 crore spent on the Ganga and Yamuna alone—exceeding eight times the initial estimates discussed in Parliament in 1986. Despite these investments, polluted stretches have expanded rather than contracted, reaching 296 polluted stretches across 271 rivers by 2025.