As Chhath Puja 2023 comes to an end, devotees on Monday morning were seen giving the final Arghya of this year at Delhi's Kalindi Kunj Ghat while standing knee-deep in toxic foam floating on the surface of the Yamuna river. The foam caused by a high amount of phosphate can lead to skin and respiratory problems, but like every year, devotees braced the recurring problem to offer their prayers.
Toxic Foam In Yamuna River A Recurring Problem
Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi had earlier promised to tackle the issue in two days. She said, "To remove that (toxic foam), sprinkling of food-grade chemicals and enzymes is being done there. The sprinkling team started the sprinkling work on 10 boats last night. In the next two days, the toxic foam will completely vanish...But I would like to urge the Uttar Pradesh government to not send its polluted water to Delhi."
Almost every year Yamuna river faces the same situation during the time of Chhath. According to an Indian Express report, a Delhi Jal Board official said that the presence of phosphates from detergents, and anaerobic bacteria in the water that falls from a height at the Okhla barrage leads to this issue.
Senior Programme Manager of the Water Programme at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Sushmita Sengupta, said that the river is in a lean phase at this time of the year and the water flow is less due to which pollutants are not diluted causing foaming.