The Yamuna River in Delhi was seen covered with a thick layer of white foam on Friday, raising health concerns as the festive season approaches, experts said. Numerous social media videos showed large portions of the river frothing, resembling clouds, which gradually faded later in the day.
Associate Coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People (SANDRP), Bhim Singh Rawat, explained that the upper stretch of the Yamuna typically experiences significant flooding during the southwest monsoon, but there was none this year, marking an unusual event. "This is unusual, as the river generally witnesses at least a couple of low or medium flood spells in this segment every year,” Rawat also said, news agency PTI reported.
He expressed concern over the pollution in the river, which poses risks to both human health and wildlife. While the river has some natural ability to cleanse itself, pollution levels have reached alarming heights. The white froth, which became more visible during the monsoon, tends to increase around festival seasons.
ALSO READ | Delhi's Pollution Driven By Vehicles, Dust, Biomass Burning; Air Quality Fluctuated From 2016-2024: Report
Experts Demand Govt To immediately Address Yamuna's Pollution Levels
Environmental experts have called on the government to address the pollution levels in the Yamuna immediately, especially during major festivals like Chhath Puja approaching. They have also added that the foam containing high concentrations of ammonia and phosphates poses serious health issues, including respiratory and skin.
“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,” another expert noted, attributing it to the lack of floodwaters that would typically wash away pollutants.