New Delhi, Oct 24: Toxic foam was seen floating on the Yamuna River near Okhla Barrage in Delhi on Saturday, with visuals showing a layer of foam spread across the river stretch flowing towards Kalindi Kunj. The sight comes at a time when festivals are approaching, especially Chhath Puja, when people gather on the Yamuna ghats.
The development has once again drawn attention to the persistent pollution in the river despite ongoing efforts by the Delhi government to improve its water quality.
Visuals from Kalindi Kunj showed foam floating on the surface of the Yamuna, highlighting the continuing challenge of river pollution in the national Capital.
The presence of foam on the river has frequently been associated with pollutants, including detergents and untreated wastewater released by industries. However, the specific cause of the foam observed on Saturday has not been independently established.
Earlier this month, a major cleanliness and river revival initiative was organised along the Yamuna ghats under the ‘Chalo Yamuna’ campaign. The drive brought together thousands of young people, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and public representatives, who participated in voluntary clean-up activities.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta led the cleanliness campaign, which was conducted at Yamuna ghats and surrounding areas across all 70 locations in the city.
Appealing to residents to become ‘Yamuna Praharis’, the Chief Minister said, “Cleanliness is not just a campaign but a way of life and ensuring that no waste reaches the Yamuna is our collective responsibility.”
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category for the third consecutive day on Saturday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 180, according to the latest data.
Pollution levels have risen following Dussehra celebrations, with smoke and unfavourable meteorological conditions contributing to deteriorating air quality across Delhi-NCR.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR earlier this week after the AQI slipped into the poor category.
--IANS