India, Oct. 26 -- Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma on Saturday said the Yamuna river's water quality ahead of Chhath was better than last year, citing data on faecal coliform bacteria.

"Within just seven months, the fecal coliform (human waste contamination) levels in the Yamuna have dropped drastically - marking one of the fastest pollution reductions ever recorded in the river's recent history," he said.

Fecal coliform is a type of bacteria that originates from human or animal waste. It is a key indicator of untreated sewage entering a water body - the higher its level, the more polluted and unsafe the water becomes.

Verma in a joint press conference with Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, said the Delhi Pollution Control ...