NEW DELHI: The Yamuna river in Delhi was covered with a thick layer of white froth on Friday, raising concerns about potential health hazards as the festive season approaches.
Experts have warned that the froth could pose serious risks to people’s health. The frothy layer, which resembled clouds floating over the river, gradually dissipated as the day progressed.
Bhim Singh Rawat, Associate Coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People (SANDRP), commented on the unusual circumstances this year.
“Normally, the upper segment of the Yamuna experiences significant flood spells, but this year, there have been none during the just-concluded southwest monsoon of 2024. This is unusual, as the river generally witnesses at least a couple of low or medium flood spells in this segment every year,” he said.
Rawat said that pollution in the river remains a critical issue, affecting both human health and wildlife in areas surrounding the Yamuna. Although the river has a certain capacity to cleanse itself, pollution levels have reached an alarming stage, he explained. The appearance of the white froth, which becomes more prominent around festival times, further highlights this issue.
With major festivals like Chhath Puja approaching, experts have urged the government to take immediate steps to address the pollution. The froth, which contains high levels of ammonia and phosphates, poses significant health risks, including respiratory and skin problems, according to experts.
“This kind of foam formation is common when fats from decaying plants and pollutants mix with the water, but its presence during the monsoon is surprising,” said one expert, adding that the lack of flood spells this year, which usually help wash away pollutants, may have contributed to the frothing.
Pollution control committees for 13 hotspots
The Delhi government has formed a coordination committee for each of the pollution hotspots, which is 13, in the city, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Friday.
The minister mentioned that the previous day, officials were instructed to identify the local sources of pollution in Anand Vihar, which were causing the area’s pollution levels to rise significantly above Delhi’s normal AQI.
He added, “Alongside this, we also directed officials to identify the local sources of pollution in all 13 hotspots across Delhi, and to submit a report so that we can create a special action plan for these hotspots.”
Giving details on the plans, Rai said that the deputy commissioners (DCs) of the MCD have been appointed to oversee the committees and execute the action plans at each of the identified hotspots.
“To manage the entire coordination committee, one engineer from the DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Committee) has been deputed at each of the 13 locations along with the DCs. These engineers will work together with the MCD’s General Commissioner to assist the coordination committee. These DPCC engineers will submit daily reports to the war room about the actions being taken at the sites,” he added.
Rai noted that the AQI in Wazirpur had reached 381, followed by 375 in Mundka, 362 in Rohini, 353 in Jahangirpuri, and 347 in Anand Vihar. He added that for the past 4-5 days, Anand Vihar had consistently topped the list of most polluted locations.
13 hotspot areas
Wazirpur Mundka Rohini
Jahangirpuri Anand Vihar
Dwarka (Sector 8) Bawana
Narela Vivek Vihar
Okhla Phase 2 Punjabi Bagh
Ashok Vihar RK Puram