New Delhi: As the Capital prepares for the sacred Chhath Mahaparv, a festival symbolising purity, devotion, and harmony, the contrast along the Yamuna riverfront could not be more striking. While the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi government are leaving no stone unturned to ready the ghats for lakhs of devotees, the toxic white foam floating on the River remains an unsettling reminder of the city’s unresolved pollution crisis.
Over the past week, the MCD has intensified sanitation operations across the capital, ensuring that ghats are clean, illuminated, and safe for worshippers. Mayor Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh inspected key ghats at Geeta Colony, Shalimar Bagh, Pitampura, and Sur Ghat, directing officials to maintain strict cleanliness and drainage arrangements. “Chhath Mahaparv represents faith and purity, and it is our duty to provide devotees with a safe and clean environment,” he said, extending greetings on the occasion of Kharna.
In a major initiative, the MCD has allocated Rs 40,000 per ward to strengthen lighting arrangements at more than 841 Chhath Ghats across 250 wards. Standing Committee Chairperson Satya Sharma led a sanitation drive at Lohe Wala Pul, personally participating in the cleaning effort and urging citizens to uphold cleanliness as a collective responsibility.
Leader of the House Pravesh Wahi, who inspected preparations at the Yamuna Ghat near Bakhtawarpur Bridge, lauded the visible improvement in cleanliness but called for continued vigilance. “The MCD and BJP workers will work together to ensure devotees celebrate Chhath in a clean and safe environment,” he said.
However, beyond the freshly cleaned ghats and illuminated pathways, the Yamuna still struggles under layers of industrial waste and chemical residue. In recent days, Delhi government boats have been seen spraying chemicals across the foamy river surface in an attempt to dissolve the toxic froth. The operation, while visually effective, has raised questions about its sustainability and safety.
Residents along the Yamuna’s banks expressed skepticism. “The spray clears the foam for a few hours, but it always comes back,” said by the people. “People still complain of itching and rashes after taking the ritual dip.” Many locals acknowledged that the situation has improved since last year but said the foam persists and continues to pose health risks.
Environmental experts have long warned that the recurring white foam is the result of untreated industrial effluents and sewage being discharged into the river. Activists argue that chemical sprays merely mask the problem temporarily, rather than addressing its root causes. Last year, opposition leaders and environmentalists described the de-foaming agents as “toxic quick-fixes” that endanger both the environment and the devotees.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta recently claimed that the Yamuna has been “significantly cleaned” under the government’s efforts. But on-ground observations tell a more complex story: the river appears clearer in patches, yet the foam continues to resurface, symbolising a deeper ecological decay.
The MCD’s efforts cleaning ghats, strengthening lights, deploying sanitation workers, and spreading awareness have indeed transformed the festive atmosphere along the riverbanks. But as Delhi’s devotees prepare for their annual prayers to Chhathi Maiya and Lord Bhaskar, the frothy waters of the Yamuna remind the city that true purification cannot come from surface-level remedies.
Beneath the chants and lamps of faith, the struggle between devotion and pollution continues unfolding quietly along the banks of a river that is both sacred and scarred.