New Delhi faces challenge of uncertainty due to polluted Yamuna waterway
Date
1/30/2025 4:04:18 AM
(MENAFN) In the polluted waters of the Yamuna River in New Delhi, a community of divers faces the challenge of both pollution and uncertainty as they strive to support their families. Among them is 60-year-old Firoz Malik, known as Nabba Gotakhor, which means water diver in Urdu. For the last two decades, he has been diving to collect coins and other items thrown by Hindu worshippers during religious ceremonies. Malik earns between Rs 200 (USD2.30) and Rs 400 a day, beginning his work early in the morning.
The Yamuna River plays a crucial role in Delhi’s water supply, providing water for around 70 percent of the city’s population. It also holds great spiritual importance for Hindus, being a sacred site for funeral rites where offerings like coins and jewelry are cast into its waters. However, urban growth and pollution have severely impacted the river’s health. Factories release chemicals into the water, and untreated sewage clogs its flow, making it one of the most polluted rivers globally.
Toxic foam often covers the river’s surface, further harming its environment. Social and religious practices also contribute to the pollution, as many people continue to throw offerings into the river, deepening its contamination. The Yamuna, a tributary of the Ganges, flows through several northern Indian states before joining the Ganges at Prayagraj, but its Delhi stretch, which constitutes only 2 percent of the river’s total length, is responsible for a disproportionate 80 percent of the pollution.
In response to the worsening condition of the river, the Delhi government pledged to clean the Yamuna to bathing standards by February 2025. A five-point action plan has been put in place to address the issue, which includes clearing the main drains and ensuring that only treated water is released into the river, aiming to restore its cleanliness and reduce pollution.
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