White toxic foam on the Yamuna River in the capital Delhi has recently made headlines. Satellite images from space have also captured it. In the photo, foam can be seen flowing in the Yamuna River near two barrages about 3 kilometers apart in the Okhla area of southeast Delhi. Videos related to this are also going viral on social media these days. In the videos, foam can be seen in large areas of the river, which looks like clouds on the water. Let us know what experts think about the situation and what technology can be used to clean this dirty water.
Yamuna water hazardous to health
As for the polluted water in the Yamuna, experts say it is harmful to health, especially as the festival season approaches.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said the government was closely monitoring the situation in the city. “Officials have begun spraying antifoaming agents to address the problem, and the government is taking active steps to deal with and resolve the issue,” the party said in a statement.
According to the agency, Bhim Singh Rawat, deputy coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), said that the overall flood situation in the upper reaches of the Yamuna River continues to exist, but the flood situation in South Asia that just ended this year is still severe . This does not happen during the western monsoon.
Bhim Singh Rawat said the situation was unusual as the stretch of the river experiences mild or moderate flooding at least twice a year. He also spoke about river pollution as a serious problem affecting human health and wildlife. Rawat further said, “While the river has some natural purification capabilities, the level of pollution is alarming. The white foam seen during the monsoon this year became more visible during the festive season.”
Engineers are entrusted with monitoring work
The Aam Aadmi Party said government engineers have been assigned to monitor the functioning of Okhla and Agra canal barrages. In this process, in order to monitor the opening timing of the barrage gates and update the information to higher officials regularly, the engineers have been assigned the task of uploading pictures of the flow of water in the Yamuna river in Kalindikunj every two hours to ensure continuous monitoring . Experts urge the government to reduce pollution levels in rivers, especially as major festivals like Chhath Puja are approaching.
According to environmental experts, the irritating foam contains high levels of ammonia and phosphates, which can pose serious health risks, including respiratory and skin problems. This type of foam forms when fats and contaminants from decaying plants mix with water, but its presence during monsoons is surprising. Another expert said the foam formed due to the absence of flooding, which would normally wash away pollutants.
Also Read: Where does Yamuna’s white foam come from and what is the reason? See ground report
How will the dirty water of Yamuna be purified?
Last year, the Delhi government formulated a five-point action plan to clean the city’s main drains and divert only treated water into the Yamuna river.
Under the plan, in-situ treatment areas are planned to be established at 10 different locations in Najafgarh, supplementary drains and Shahdara drains. The company said in-situ treatment methods will include floating booms, weirs, aeration units and floating wetlands, and chemical dosing will be at strategic locations to reduce phosphate levels in the wastewater.
During this period, there was also news that the government had constructed weirs (small dams) at various locations in the three drainage ditches as a pilot project to clean up the rivers. Aeration systems and bamboo and plastic buoys were installed in other areas.
Arvind Kejriwal set a target of cleaning Yamuna by 2025 and formed Yamuna Clean Cell to ensure better coordination to meet the deadline. Decisions taken by the panel are implemented by relevant department members to ensure timely action.
Also read: Where does so much foam in Yamuna come from… How is it prepared, know the harm it causes
The sea water also becomes cleaner
Israel is a leading country in making seawater drinkable. Israel’s Sorek desalination plant is operating at full capacity, producing 630,000 cubic meters of seawater for drinking every day. The plant meets 40% of water needs. Irregular rainfall, rising temperatures and intensive pumping are putting the greatest pressure on the world’s smallest freshwater lake, which has been Israel’s main freshwater reservoir for decades.
Officials see the project as a showcase of Israel’s cutting-edge desalination and water management technology that could also help strengthen ties with the arid Arab nation.
Israel is currently grappling with this challenge by reversing the direction of water flow in its vast network of pumps, pipes and tunnels built since the 1960s. Officials see the plan as a showcase for Israel’s cutting-edge desalination and water management technology that could also help deepen ties with the parched Arab nation.
Also read: Yamuna is turning toxic, toxic bubble seen in video