AAP govt. deploys 15 boats to remove from Yamuna froth
White froth has emerged in river Yamuna amid Chhath Puja celebrations
Ropes in 3 departments for the task
New Delhi, Nov. 10 (Delhi Crown): Chhath Puja is on in national capital Delhi with people taking dips in the Yamuna River as a part of the festive occasion.
The Delhi government, however, is copping considerable flak over its alleged inability to clear the river of its toxic foam. So deep is the concern over the foam at present that the city administration has roped in three departments to bring in boats and ropes to clear the river.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the Irrigation Flood Control Department and the Revenue Department, are involved in this operation currently.
The Wazirabad to Okhla stretch of the Yamuna reportedly accounts for around 80 percent of its pollution load.
“The foam is just a manifestation of the water quality of the Yamuna and it is a long-term issue. The exercise will continue till the current frothing episode comes to an end,” said officials, adding that use of boats and ropes is only a “temporary measure”.
They said that the long-term measure would be to upgrade all sewage treatment plants in Delhi and in neighbouring states bordering it.
Experts said the key factor responsible for the formation of foam in the Yamuna is the high phosphate content in detergents used by dyeing industries, dhobi ghats and households located on the river’s banks in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
A second reason is the poor quality of effluent discharged from what is called Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs).
Wastewater from colonies and settlements contain high phosphate content and reach the river through untapped drains. When water falls from a height at a barrage, it creates phosphoric compounds in the river which leads to the formation of froth.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi are currently involved in a political slugfest over the foam controversy.
The Yamuna meanders its way from Yamunotri to Allahabad (Prayagraj), a distance of 1,370 kilometres.
