Delhi's Yamuna Covered in Thick Foam Near Kalindi Kunj After Heavy Rains

THICK FOAM COVERS YAMUNA
Kalindi Kunj visitors received a shocker on Sunday morning – large portions of the Yamuna were covered with a thick white foam, looking like snow from a distance. 

Videos and photos of the foam quickly circulated on social media, where many residents expressed shock and disappointment. Children played on the banks and recorded the foam swirling with the current

Several patches of foam have formed along the river, especially close to Kalindi Kunj and Okhla Barrage, where the water flow increased after recent rains, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee said.

And while the sight may be alarming, officials have stressed it’s nothing new. Such foams occur in the Yamuna every year during monsoon and winter when the water level and pollution load increase.

What Is Foam Made Of? 
Pollution creates the foam, experts say. 

Domestic sewage, industrial effluents, and phosphate-rich detergents, if not treated, get mixed with air during rain or increased water flow in the river. This produces a thick layer of froth on the surface. 

"It's a chemical reaction, more or less. “Surfactants that trap air and form foam in combination with organic waste are present in washing soaps and detergents,” said a senior environmental scientist. 

Environmental groups have long said that the foam is a visible indicator of poor water quality. It traps pollutants such as bacteria, heavy metals and other harmful chemicals. On contact, it can irritate the skin and respiratory tract.

Worries Over Pollution Remain  
The recalcitrant foam has again brought into focus the pollution crisis of the Yamuna that has been lingering for long. 

CPCB data indicates that over the past decade, despite several river cleaning projects and government efforts, close to 60% of Delhi’s sewage still flows into the Yamuna untreated. The industrial discharge from nearby areas adds to the problem. 

The activists say the river will continue to be polluted unless the sewage treatment plants are run to their full capacity and the industrial units are strictly monitored. 

The foam is just a symptom. The real problem is what we are throwing in the river every day,” said an activist from Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan.

Officials on Alert: Delhi government and Irrigation and Flood Control Department officials said they were testing water quality at several points in the wake of the latest incident. At Kalindi Kunj, foam is being broken with the help of booms and sprinklers to prevent its further spread.

DPCC has also issued an advisory asking people, especially children and the elderly, to avoid contact with river water and foam. 

Once again, environmental groups are calling for long-term fixes, from upgraded sewage treatment plants and real-time monitoring of industrial discharges to tougher penalties for violators.

For the moment, the white layer on the Yamuna is a stark reminder of the work that still needs to be done to bring the river back.