It's Not Snow But The Polluted Yamuna River In Delhi That Is Filled With Toxic Foam, Again

River Yamuna is overflowing with bubbling thick foam and filth. Appearing like snow, the toxic froth is full of residential and industrial waste whose foul stench could be smelt from a distance.

BCCL

On Tuesday, a thick layer of foam could be seen floating on the surface of river Yamuna near ITO area in the national capital. The froth formed on the Yamuna river due to the release of toxic pollutants into the water body. Attributed to the high phosphate content of the water, the foam is also caused due to the dumping of waste.

#Delhi: Toxic foam seen floating on the surface of the river Yamuna at ITO. pic.twitter.com/fYWo9a9J3m

¡ª TOI Delhi (@TOIDelhi) February 23, 2021

Not the first time

However, this wasn't the first time Delhi witnessed a scene as such.

In November, a local, BS Rawat recalled while speaking to ANI that during the initial days of the COVID-19 lockdown, the water of the Yamuna was clean. However, it was now covered with dirt. He added, "The government is doing its own course but we as a citizen should also take steps to combat the situation. People should not throw the dirt into the river. It seems like sewage is flowing into the river, we need to stop it."

ANI

Chhath Puja, Ganesh Chaturthi add to plight

In November 2019, devotees gathered on the banks for the Chhath Puja in Delhi and were met with not just foaming waters but also high levels of toxic pollution that engulfed the city, making it difficult to spot the sun. The pictures had soon gone viral with experts showing grave concern over the rising pollution and its adverse effects.

Hindu women worship the sun god in the polluted waters of the river Yamuna during the religious festival of Chhath Puja in New Delhi, India. More photos of the week: https://t.co/W4Yt83anoh ? Adnan Abidi pic.twitter.com/yJATI4ZQLe

¡ª Reuters Pictures (@reuterspictures) November 10, 2019

A woman prayed in the filthy waters of the #Yamuna river in #Delhi during the holy festival of Chhath Puja as toxic foam floated past. Read more about India¡¯s relationship with its water resources in the @nytimes pic.twitter.com/9tIXQVm32X

¡ª Bryan Denton (@bdentonphoto) November 29, 2019

In September 2018, the plight of the river worsened after thousands of broken or semi-dissolved idols of Ganesha made of Plaster of Paris and coated with toxic chemicals such as mercury, cadmium, lead and carbon were immersed in the Yamuna on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi which commenced late in the month.

No divine dipDevotees immerse an idol of Lord Ganesha in the polluted Yamuna river covered with froth on the last day of Ganesh Chaturthi festival, in New Delhi, on Sunday.PTI ....This is shocking... pic.twitter.com/6DPUo56ap0

¡ª Sandhya (@maradhimanni) September 24, 2018

What guidelines say

Despite Central Pollution Control Board 2010 guidelines on idol immersion and the specific ban by the tribunal on immersion of non-biodegradable idols, there has been a complete failure on the part of the authorities to check the same. The guidelines suggest that idol immersion should be allowed only of such idols that are made from biodegradable material and not plastic/Plaster of Paris. Also, the idols should be painted in only those colours that are environment-friendly.

BCCL

Why it is crucial

In July 2018, the green panel had said pollution in the Yamuna was of serious concern as it was highly contaminated with industrial effluents and sewage.

BCCL

The bio-oxygen demand of the river, a measure of organic pollution, every year reaches ¡°dangerously high levels¡± after Ganesh Chaturthi. in 2017, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it had removed around 80 tonnes of debris dumped on the Yamuna floodplains after idol immersion.