India, Oct. 28 -- From open defecation and waste burning to industrial dumping and cattle bathing, Delhi's Munak Canal - a critical lifeline supplying raw water to the Capital - is choked with pollution. A new report by the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) warned that widespread contamination along the canal could threaten the safety of Delhi's drinking water and undermine operations at water treatment plants.

The report, based on an inspection conducted on October 25, details violations along the canal's route through Haryana and northwest Delhi. It was submitted on Sunday to the Delhi government, pollution control authorities, and ministers of water, environment, and health, along with photo evidence and geotagged...