Toxic foam coats sacred river near New Delhi as Indian capital battles hazardous pollution

Yamuna river covered with a thick layer of toxic foam due to water pollution near Kalindi Kunj, on September 10, 2023 in New Delhi, India. PHOTO/COURTESY: CNN
A
thick layer of toxic foam has once again coated parts of a sacred river near
New Delhi as the Indian capital battles an acrid and noxious smog that has
settled across the city.
The
white froth, a mixture of sewage and industrial waste, has formed over sections
of the Yamuna River – a tributary of the holy Ganges River – which flows about 1,376 kilometers south from the Himalayas through several states.
The
pungent foam contains high levels of ammonia and phosphates, which can cause
respiratory and skin problems, according to experts.
Its
latest arrival has coincided with hazardous levels of pollution that have
sickened many of New Delhi’s more than 20 million residents and forced primary
schools and some offices to close.
A
similar looking mixture has appeared in a canal in India’s southern Tamil Nadu
state, according to the Press Trust of India.
Video
published by the news agency on Thursday shows strong gusts of wind carrying
the froth onto the roads and into the paths of cars and motorcycles.
For
decades, sections of the Yamuna have been plagued by the dumping of toxic
chemicals and untreated sewage.
In
several sections, the river appears dark and sludgy, while plastic waste lines
its banks.
The
river is most polluted in areas surrounding Delhi, owing to the area’s dense
population and high levels of waste.
Only
2% of the river’s length flows through the capital, but Delhi contributes about
76% of the river’s total pollution, according to a government monitoring
committee.
The
mixture is a regular sight on the Yamuna and despite its toxicity many
villagers downstream continue to use the water to bathe and even drink, experts
say.
Pictures
from September also showed toxic foam forming on the Yamuna.
Hindu
devotees are often seen performing rituals in the river, surrounded by the
dense foam.
Every
year, many gather on the Yamuna’s banks to celebrate Chhath Puja, a festival
dedicated to the sun god Lord Surya, some wading through the foam to bathe and
pray.
This
week, the toxic foam in New Delhi was joined by a throat-searing blanket of
smog that prompted many panicked residents to buy air purifiers and wear face
masks to minimize exposure to the fumes.
New
Delhi has ranked as the most polluted city in the world for several consecutive
days this week, according to Swiss air quality company IQAir.
On
Thursday, the city had an air quality index (AQI) of 517 – a level considered
hazardous, according to the company.
By
comparison, the world’s least polluted city, Oslo, has an AQI of just three.
China’s capital Beijing, which used to frequently feature on the world’s most
polluted list, has in recent years taken big steps to clean its air and has a
current AQI of 25 – a number considered “good.”
Two
other Indian cities – Kolkata and Mumbai – both ranked on IQAir’s list of the
world’s 20 most polluted cities, with AQI numbers of 205 and 102, both
considered unhealthy.
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