Yamuna Toxic Foam: Chhath Festivities Dampened With Barricades, Police at Key Sites; BJP Protests

A day after huge political back and forth over Chhath Puja devotees bathing in toxic foam on Yamuna river Ghats in Delhi, authorities stepped up efforts to prevent similar incidents. The Delhi government, under heavy criticism from Opposition parties BJP and Congress, on Tuesday deployed 15 boats to remove the froth with the help of ropes. Meanwhile, barricades have been erected at key sites to prevent to prevent the hazardous foam from floating towards the Ghats. Police is also on guard to implement the ban on celebrating Chhath at Yamuna river sites.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in its order on October 29 had allowed Chhath celebrations at “designated sites”, barring the banks of the Yamuna. However, concerning visuals of devotees bathing in the toxic white foam – a sign of the hazardous level of pollution in the Yamuna – initiated a political slugfest over the issue.

No devotees were seen at the ITO Yamuna Ghat as of 11 pm on Wednesday, CNN-News18 reported. Barricades have been to stop toxic foam from floating towards the ghat in Kalindi Kunj, news agency ANI reported.

A Delhi Jal Board official said directions have been issued to sprinkle water to dissipate the froth as “no other short-term measures would work”. “Water sprinkling will break the froth. The air bubbles trapped in the froth will escape and the froth will dissipate,” he said.

An official of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department said bamboo nets have been installed on the stretch at Kalindi Kunj to capture the froth. These exercises will continue till effective action is ensured, the officials said.

The pollution in the Yamuna in Delhi is once again in focus as Chhath festivities are underway. Early on Wednesday, a number of devotees had gathered at the Yamuna Ghat in Kalindi Kunj, downstream of the Okhla Barrage, but were dispersed by the police.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority had earlier banned Chhath Puja celebrations on the banks of the Yamuna in view of the pandemic. The city government has set up 800 makeshift ghats across Delhi for devotees to perform the rituals.

Vikas Rai, chairman of Chhath Puja Samiti, Kalindi Kunj, said the government wanted to “cover up its failure and that the devotees are not bothered about the froth in the river”. “Boats, nets and water sprinkling won’t help. The froth will come back the minute you remove it. This is an eyewash so that the media doesn’t criticise the government over the pollution,” he said.

“Fifteen teams have been deployed to remove the foam in the river. The exercise will continue till the current frothing episode comes to an end,” a Delhi official told PTI on the removal of froth by boats. Officials said the idea entailed the deployment of boats parallel to each other and then roping the foam.

An official, however, termed it a “temporary” measure. “The problem will persist till sewage treatment plants in Delhi are upgraded to meet the new standards. There is no immediate solution to it.” The foam is just the manifestation of the water quality of the Yamuna and it is a long-term issue, he said.

According to experts, the primary reason behind the formation of foam in the Yamuna is high phosphate content in detergents used in dyeing industries, dhobi ghats and households in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

BJP Protests Dampened Chhatt Festivities

Meanwhile, BJP MP Parvesh Verma reached the ITO with supporters in protest against the ban on Chhatt festivities at Yamuna ghats. “The Delhi government has again called Chhath Puja committees and warned against celebrating Chhath at Yamuna Ghat tomorrow. Tomorrow from 11 am till the completion of Chhath Puja, I will stay at ITO Yamuna Ghat and see who stops the brothers and sisters of Purvanchal from celebrating Chhath,” the leader had earlier said in a tweet.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, among other party workers, also shared a video of frustrated Chhath devotees who were being disallowed from celebrating the festival at Yamuna sites.

“The anger of Chhath devotees against Arvind Kejriwal has now come on the streets. Just as the ghats built for Chhath were broken by sending civil defense personnel and sisters were stopped from celebrating Chhath; this was bound to happen,” he said.

Meanwhile, the AAP hit back saying the saffron party has been creating problems for Chhath devotees. “BJP’s SDMC Mayor has been heard asking people if Chhath puja was possible in parks,” AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

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