"UP, Haryana Release Untreated Water": Delhi Hits Back Over Yamuna Foam
NDTV
Attributing the foam to "untreated" chemicals and detergents released into the river from UP and Haryana, Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman Raghav Chadha said repeated appeals to treat the water before it is released into Yamuna have gone unheard.
Delhi blamed Uttar Pradesh and Haryana today as toxic foam turned the Yamuna river white, affected water treatment plants and hit the water supply in the national capital. Attributing the foam to "untreated" chemicals and detergents released into the river from the two states, Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman Raghav Chadha said repeated appeals to treat the water before it is released into Yamuna have gone unheard.
Today, cellphone videos from Yamuna banks -- showing people making Chhath puja offerings and taking dips in the toxic foam -- were widely circulated.
Mr Chadha said the photos were from Okhla barrage, which is under the Irrigation Department of the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
"It is important to understand from where the foam in the Yamuna comes from. Actually, 154 MGD of water comes at the Okhla barrage. Out of this, 105 MGD of water is released by Haryana government into Yamuna, which comes from the Najafgarh drain. At the same time, 50 MGD of Ganga water is sent by Uttar Pradesh from Shahdara drain," Mr Chadha said.
