The CMM also laid down guidelines for both the DVB and Central Board for the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution (CBPCWP) to ensure that pollutants were not released into the river beyond the permissible limit.

Gauba told the CBPCWP that they should depute an officer within 155 days for analysis of samples. Since the DVB apparently failed to conduct weekly analysis of samples, the CMM told the board to restart the exercise. He also directed the DVB to call the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of the area to be present at the time of drawing of samples.

The CMM stated: ``Since the latest sample drawn on December 15 last year was found to contain an alarming proportion of pollutants, the Chief Engineer of the I.P. Power station and General Manager, DVB shall take immediate remedial steps.''

The DVB has also been directed to inform the court about its progress in setting up a plant to manufacture bricks from fly ash. The CMM also issued directions to the Government of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi to ensure that officials in the government ``do not come with lame excuses for extension''.

The CBPCWP had filed a complaint on January 11 saying that the progress report submitted on December 3, last year was totally un-satisfactory. It claimed that its short term measures had not been adopted and that the discharge of polluted water continued unabated.

It also submitted that a sample drawn on December 1 last year indicated that suspended solid concentration ranging from 255.7 to 337.08 mg per litre was being released into the river as against the permissible limit of 100 mg per litre.

The DVB in its reply took exception to the analysis report claiming it had not been informed about ``such collection of samples''.

After giving the submissions a thought, the CMM remarked: ``We are where we were when the original petition was filed on July 28, 1987. The effluent discharge during those times were said to be highly polluted.''

He referred to the complaint that was filed by the CBPCWP in the court of his predecessor Prem Kumar. During the course of 12 years, various measures were suggested and some were adopted by the DVB at its own convenience.

``I am unable to restrain myself while observing that the DVB has acted in the true spirit of bureaucracy,'' read the CMM's order. He added: ``If this were allowed to continue, the Yamuna in the near future may soon cease to be called a river.''

He expressed shock at the DVB's lax attitude which has allowed pollution levels to rise to such an extent. He said that all the efforts ever since the litigation started in 1987 have been set at naught.