Just 30 days after Chhath Puja, the Kalindi Kunj ghat in Delhi presents a starkly different scene. When the riverfront looked clean during the festival, today it is engulfed in thick, toxic foam. Locals say the froth never really disappears—boats only push it aside, and chemicals sprayed on the surface offer nothing more than a temporary fix.
Fishermen who have worked here for nearly two decades say the water has become “thick” and “unbearably smelly” in the past two weeks. For about 15–20 days, fish have decreased in number. Many residents complain of headaches, burning eyes, coughing and skin irritation due to the pungent, acidic smell. Boatmen say they spend entire days spraying anti-foaming agents, yet more froth constantly flows in from the main gate where drains release polluted water into the Yamuna.
Locals allege that during Chhath, authorities temporarily closed gates and increased water release to make the ghat appear clean. As soon as the festival ended, the filth returned. Several residents say that people who come here dump garbage into the river, and despite occasional clean-up drives by volunteers, no consistent waste management exists. Safai staff come only sporadically, they say, leaving piles of garbage to rot.
In 2025, the Delhi government allocated ₹500 crore for Yamuna clean-up, along with an additional ₹140 crore, and over ₹108 crore has already been spent this year. But on the ground, little has changed. The 22 km stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi—just 2% of the river’s length—carries over 80% of its pollution load, largely due to untreated domestic sewage and industrial effluents entering through 23 drains.
Residents who’ve lived by the river for 20–25 years say they once drank this water. Today, they believe only long-term solutions—like stopping sewage inflow—can make the Yamuna livable again. Temporary chemicals, they insist, won’t clean a dying river.
