The Battle to Clean the Yamuna: A River of Promises

In Delhi, the Yamuna River's pollution remains a critical environmental and health issue. As elections approach, local residents demand tangible actions from political leaders. Experts emphasize that untreated wastewater is a major problem, urging systemic changes in waste management to restore the river's health.

There was a time when the Yamuna River in Delhi flowed with clean, drinkable water, recalls Ram Paswan, a 58-year-old resident. Today, the river is shrouded in a thick layer of froth and strewn with waste, a stark reminder of the severe pollution it faces.

With assembly elections on the horizon in the national capital, the issue of Yamuna's pollution has resurfaced in political debates, as the AAP, BJP, and Congress vie for power in a three-pronged contest. Local residents, especially those living near the river at Kalindi Kunj, demand robust action from the future government post-February 5 elections.

Residents propose constructing tanks to filter wastewater before it enters the Yamuna, stressing the need for clean ghats, proper lighting, and security. Environmental experts like Pankaj Kumar highlight the urgency for systemic reforms in wastewater management, pointing out that untreated wastewater from Delhi's drains is severely deteriorating the river's condition.

(With inputs from agencies.)