On October 27, ahead of Chhath Puja snan (holy dip), white toxic froth was seen floating on the Yamuna river in Delhi. As per news agency ANI, the foam was visible from Kalindi Kunj, Delhi.
#WATCH | Delhi: Heavy pollution and toxic foam seen in river Yamuna ahead of #ChhathPuja. Visuals from Kalindi Kunj today. pic.twitter.com/d2BXlTjQQi
— ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2022
The poisonous foam was seen drifting towards the Yamuna ghats, despite the fact that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal assured clean ghats and water for devotees during this year’s Chhatth puja. Chhath will be celebrated on October 30 and 31.
It may be recalled that only a week earlier, Kejriwal had taken to Twitter to assure that orders have been given to all the officers and that all arrangements will be made to ensure that Yamuna is not polluted as devotees prepare to celebrate the annual Hindu festival.
यमुना के घाटों पर पहले की तरह छठ पूजा मनायी जायेगी। सभी अधिकारियों को आदेश दिये गये हैं कि यमुना प्रदूषित ना हो, ये सुनिश्चित करने के लिए सभी प्रबंध किए जाएँगे।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 21, 2022
Arvind Kejriwal has spent years harping on the ‘three-year Yamuna clean’ promise but has failed to deliver each time. Because of this track record of making pledges and shifting deadlines, no one appears to have taken him seriously this time.
The social media platforms are once again flooded with videos and images of the ‘toxic Yamuna,’ leaving Netizens amused about how this thick envelope of toxic carcinogenic foam has become an annual tradition under his administration.
Iceland aur London. Dono me jo common hai wahi bana raha bas dilli ko.
— sailor (@sailorsmoon) October 27, 2022
Stop complaining Delhiites, under the able leadership of Shri Shri Arvind Kejriwal Ji, Yamuna ji has been converted into Mohalla Washing Machine with already free water and now also Free Detergent Powder. He said he’ll clean up the system and this is yet another promise delivered
— Yo Yo Funny Singh 🇮🇳 (@moronhumor) October 27, 2022
Another social media user mocked the AAP government by recalling how, last year, a Delhi Jal Board employee was found sprinkling water on the river Yamuna in a bid to dissipate the toxic foam.
Remember this??https://t.co/XQ5tJ76uIw
— Vicky (@Vicks_2006) October 21, 2022
Arvind Gupta, former BJP IT cell chief and head of Digital India Foundation and IIT-BHU professor, used the circumstance to make a sarcastic quip about Kejriwal, who has continued to blame the crisis on Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. “CM @ArvindKejriwal has fulfilled his commitment to make Yamuna clean. But Haryana keeps sending this toxicfoam and ANI captures the same with perfect timing,” Tweeted Arvind Gupta.
CM @ArvindKejriwal has fulfilled his commitment to make Yamuna clean. But Haryana keeps sending this toxic foam and ANI captures the same with perfect timing 😀 https://t.co/HrlqnZcDhH
— Arvind Gupta (@buzzindelhi) October 27, 2022
Arvind Kejriwal keep extending the deadline to clear the Yamuna river
Interestingly, the series of issuing dates after dates for cleaning the Yamuna by the Delhi government has been going on since the beginning of his political career. Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in 2015, promised to clean the Yamuna river within 5 years (by 2020). He had, in fact, made this promise standing on the banks of the river along with his cabinet colleagues and senior Delhi government officials, who had taken part in the first ‘Yamuna Aarti’ held at the Kudesia Ghat.
In November 2019, he said his government has planned to clean the Yamuna in the next four to five years, and people would be able to take a dip in it. In December same year, he promised the people attending his rally that by the next elections (scheduled in 2025), he would take the whole village for a dip in the Yamuna.
In January 2020, he again promised to get it cleaned in five years. He had promised to take a dip in the Yamuna himself.
However, almost eight years after AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal first promised to clean the Yamuna, the river continues to be engulfed in toxic foam to date.
In November 2021, a bizarre visual made it to social media after the Delhi government tried to control toxic foam in the river with a hedge made out of bamboo sticks. Delhi Jal Board employees were seen sprinkling water on toxic foam to “clean the river”.
