India, May 11 -- While faecal coliform levels in the Yamuna marginally dipped in April compared to March, the river remained highly polluted and severely exceeded safe limits, according to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee's (DPCC's) latest report.

The April report (released May 8) showed that faecal coliform level - a key indicator of sewage - peaked at 310,000 MPN/100ml (most probable number per 100 ml), far above the safe standard of 2,500 MPN/100ml. The level peaked at 400,000 in March, and 110,000 in February.

The biological oxygen demand (BOD) level, which indicates the amount of oxygen organisms need to survive in the water, followed a similar trend. It peaked at 58 milligrams per liter (mg/l) in April, compared to a peak of ...