New Delhi (PTI): The national capital is a major culprit in the pollution of the Yamuna, accounting for about 79 per cent of the total waste water that is poured into the river by the major towns along its banks.

Environment Minister Namo Narain Meena told Rajya Sabha in a written reply today that the stretch of river Yamuna between Wazirabad and Okhla in Delhi is among the most polluted stretches of major rivers across the country.

"It has been reported that the volume of waste water generated from Delhi accounts for about 79 per cent of the total waste water generated from major towns located along the banks of river Yamuna," Meena said citing a study conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

"Due to large-scale extraction of water from the river upstream of Wazirabad barrage at Delhi for various uses, the flow of the river in Delhi stretch mainly comprises of the wastewater flow from the surrounding areas during the pre-monsoon period," he said.

The Minister said in addition to the Yamuna Action Plan launched with the assistance of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to clean the Yamuna, Delhi Government has also taken up large-scale pollution abatement works for the river.