Explained: Why Yamuna froths with toxic foam year after year

The Yamuna is frothing over again with toxic foam covering sections of the river near Kalindi Kunj.

The development comes ahead of Chhath Puja which will be celebrated on 30 and 31 October and which involves the offering of ‘arghya’ to the Sun god by fasting women in knee-deep water.

On Wednesday, Delhi lieutenant-governor Vinai Kumar Saxena gave his nod to hold Chhath Puja at designated ghats on the Yamuna and urged Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to ensure clean ghats and water for devotees.

“Chhath Puja will be celebrated like before on the ghats of Yamuna. Orders have been given to all the officers that all arrangements be made to ensure that Yamuna is not polluted,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal visited the Ghazipur on Thursday and said the upcoming MCD polls will be fought on the garbage issue as he promised to clean Delhi in five years if his AAP wins the civic body election.

Let’s take a look at what causes it and why this is a recurring problem:

What causes the frothing?

The Yamuna is one of India’s most polluted rivers.

According to Weather.com, it is triggered by industries discharging effluents containing a high concentration of ammonia and phosphate. Some illegal jeans-making units even dump chemical waste — mainly the substances used to dye denim — in the holy river.

As per IndiaTimes, domestic wastewater, idol immersion, pesticide residue, untreated sewage are some of the other sources of pollution. While only two per cent of the river flows through Delhi, the city is responsible for about 76 per cent of its total pollution.

Lead, plaster of paris (POP) and chrome paints used in making the idols also pollute the water. Polythene bags, decoration items, metal polishes also add to the pollution,

The frothing itself is formed by phosphates in the river, Sushmita Sengupta, Senior Programme Manager of the Water Programme at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) told Indian Express.

Surfactants and phosphates from detergents in households and industrial laundry find their way into the river, as all the sewage is not treated, Sengupta said.

Only 35 per cent of total estimated sewage discharge undergoes treatment, as per IndiaTimes.

According to the newspaper, an August 2020 report noted that foam forms downstream of the ITO and Okhla barrages.

The water falling after discharge from the Okhla barrage causes the surfactants and foaming agents present in the wastewater or in the sludge on the river bed to get agitated, thus forming foam, as per the website.

The Centre had earlier this month set up a joint committee of stakeholders, including NMCG, Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB), UP Irrigation Department, Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Irrigation and Flood Control, Delhi and Delhi Pollution Control Committee to oversee and coordinate efforts to control and minimize the froth formation downstream of Okhla Barrage in Yamuna during Chhat Puja.

Why does it froth around this time?

The frothing is at its peak around this time every year because of a combination of the around 3,500 million litres of untreated effluents released into the river every year and the river flow dropping below minimum levels from November to March, as per Weather.com.

As per the website, exposure to this toxic foam could cause skin allergies, irritation, and different types of skin pigmentation, including vitiligo and autoimmune diseases. It could even cause skin cancer and contagious viral warts in severe cases.

Ingesting this foam could result in gastrointestinal problems and diseases such as typhoid, tuberculosis, neurological issues and hormonal imbalance.

Last year, pictures and videos showing devotees offering prayers in the froth-filled Yamuna on Chhath Puja had triggered a political slugfest between the AAP and the BJP, prompting the Delhi government to take measures like installing bamboo nets and sprinkling water to dissipate froth.

Last June, the DPCC banned the sale, storage and transportation of soaps and detergents not conforming to the quality standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), as per Indian Express.

The Yamuna Monitoring Committee, which has been disbanded, had recommended such a move.

Environmentalists take aim at govt

Chhath Puja, environmentalists blamed the Delhi government for “not taking adequate action” to make the Yamuna pollution free as toxic foam covered sections of the river near Kalindi Kunj on Thursday.

Environmentalist Vimlendu Jha said lack of political intent, zero urgency in cleaning the Yamuna and minimal action on the ground were behind the frequent foaming of the river.

“Environmental governance doesn’t seem to be a priority for the Delhi government. The unfortunate part is that there is a lack of political intent, zero urgency in cleaning the Yamuna and minimal action on the ground, leading to frequent foaming and frothing of the river,” Jha told PTI.

He also cited lack of minimum flow in the river as a major reason behind the pollution every year.

“Delhi empties more than 3,500 million litres of municipal sewage in the river and, despite tall claims, over 50 per cent of the sewage is either untreated or not adequately treated, and flows directly into the Yamuna.

“Lack of minimum flow in the river is another major cause of the Yamuna’s pollution,” he said

When asked about what actions the government had taken to remove the toxic foam, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said cleaning of the river had started.

“Some of the critical tasks the government needs to undertake to keep the river clean and the citizens of Delhi safe are ensuring every drip of sewage is treated before emptying the drains into the river, adequate flow of water in the Yamuna and a comprehensive common effluent treatment plan and management,” he reaffirmed.

Jha further said the Delhi government needed to treat every drip of sewage before emptying it into the river.

“Some of the critical tasks the government needs to undertake to keep the river clean and the citizens of Delhi safe are ensuring every drip of sewage is treated before emptying the drains into the river, adequate flow of water in the Yamuna and a comprehensive common effluent treatment plan and management,” he said.

Bhavreen Kandhari, another environmentalist, alleged that toxic foam covered sections of the river every year due to negligence and absence of real action on the ground.

“On the Yamuna and Hindon edges, scores of farmhouses and industries are discharging pollutants into the river. There are about 92 drains that open directly into Yamuna, out of which 62 are untapped. Therefore, due to negligence and lack of real action on the ground, there is toxic foam in the Yamuna every year,” Kandhari said.

Several citizens pointed out the violations but there are no officials on the ground to carry out a survey, she alleged.

“Many citizens are pointing out the violations in the form of complaints but why are the officials not on the ground to survey the situation? We can save the river only if the government has the true intent to work on the sources of pollution,” she said.

BJP slams Kejriwal

Meanwhile, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Thursday accused the Delhi government of spraying poisonous chemical to remove froth from the Yamuna ahead of Chhath Puja during which devotees take a holy dip in the river.

West Delhi MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma also challenged Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to take a dip in the Yamuna and alleged that the AAP chief’s visit to Ghazipur landfill site was a ploy to divert attention from the issue of pollution in the river.`

“We visited the Yamuna to stock of the pollution situation there. We were surprised to find that a very poisonous chemical was being sprayed to hide the froth,” the Northeast Delhi MP claimed.

Verma challenged Kejriwal to take a dip in the Yamuna river.

“He (Kejriwal) says he has cleaned the Yamuna and will take a dip. I call upon him to take a dip in the river two days from now,” he added.

Attacking Kejriwal over his visit to the Ghazipur landfill site, Verma said, “Is garbage the issue at the moment? To divert attention from the Yamuna river pollution issue, the Delhi CM reached Ghazipur landfill site,” he added.

With inputs from agencies

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