The Yamuna River in Delhi has been blanketed by a thick layer of white foam since Friday, creating serious health risks, especially with the festive season fast approaching.
Chhath Puja, which is scheduled for November 5 this year, requires devotees to take a dip in the river. However, the extreme pollution levels in the river could disrupt the celebrations.
Videos of the toxic foam quickly went viral on social media, drawing attention to the concerning situation.
Ajit Singh Rathi, a journalist, shared a video showing the foam, along with a message in Hindi stating, “Mother Yamuna is going through terrible pain, and that too in the national capital Delhi, where not one but two governments are in power. The pain is such that you too will groan.” He also questioned, “Where did the thousands of crores of rupees meant for cleaning the Yamuna go? Where did those resolutions for Yamuna disappear?”
माँ यमुना भयंकर पीड़ा से गुज़र रही है, और वो भी राष्ट्रीय राजधानी दिल्ली में, जहाँ एक नहीं दो दो सरकारें आसीन है। दर्द ऐसा कि आप भी कराह उठेंगे।
कहाँ बह गए वो हजारों करोड़ जो यमुना की सफ़ाई के लिए थे ?
कहाँ ग़ायब हो गए वो संकल्प जो यमुना के लिए थे ? #YamunaRiver #Delhi pic.twitter.com/F46cAU4fBM— Ajit Singh Rathi (@AjitSinghRathi) October 19, 2024
Another concerned citizen posted a video of an individual wading through the foamy river, writing, “Chhath Puja is near, but the Yamuna’s polluted state remains a challenge. Faith and clean rivers should flow together.”
The Aam Aadmi Party responded, stating that the Delhi government is monitoring the situation closely. “Officials have already begun sprinkling defoamers to tackle the issue, and the government is actively taking steps to manage and resolve the situation,” they said in a statement.
Environmental experts, as reported by PTI, warned that the foam contains high levels of ammonia and phosphates, which pose significant health risks, including respiratory and skin issues.
Bhim Singh Rawat, associate coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), explained to PTI that the current level of foam indicates alarmingly high pollution, despite the river’s natural cleansing capabilities.
Experts are calling for urgent action from the government to address the pollution in the river to prevent a health crisis as festivals approach.