In India, the Yamuna, one of the country’s sacred rivers, was covered with a toxic foam layer on Monday. According to authorities, the pollution is due to the large influx of sewage and industrial waste.
The Yamuna, a tributary of the Ganges, is one of the most polluted rivers in the country. However, the toxic foam does not stop Hindus from diving into the river to celebrate Chhath Puja’s four-day. The incident does disrupt the water supply to some of the surrounding towns, but it is still unclear how many households were affected.
For a long time, the authorities have made efforts in vain to clean the Yamuna, but the phenomenon of toxic foam occurs every year. In 2020, a report already revealed that water quality in the river had deteriorated seriously over the past five years.
The Indian capital New Delhi is also currently suffering from a thick layer of smog caused by the emission of toxic gases from industry and traffic. The city is known as one of the most polluted cities globally, with local air pollution 16 times higher than allowed by the World Health Organization.