Chhath devotees take dip in toxic foam floating on Yamuna river- Watch

New Delhi: On the first day of the Chhath Puja celebrations, several people were seen taking a dip in the Yamuna river near Kalindi Kunj in Delhi as a part of the ritual on Monday (November 8, 2021) amid toxic foam. 

During the four-day festival, numerous devotees were forced to complete the rituals of day one in the river water which currently has increased ammonia levels. This has also hit the city’s water supply as the water in the Yamuna river is way too contaminated for consumption.

Meanwhile, as the last-minute preparations for the festival the ghats of the national capital are being cleaned. 

#WATCH | People take dip in Yamuna river near Kalindi Kunj in Delhi on the first day of #ChhathPuja in the midst of toxic foam pic.twitter.com/uMsfQXSXnd — ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2021

DJB vice-chairman Raghav Chadha earlier said water production by the treatment plants was hit due to heavy sewage and industrial discharge from Haryana.

"Heavy sewage and industrial waste were discharged by Haryana during Diwali in the Yamuna. Increased ammonia levels forced a reduction in water treatment plants (WTPs) operating capacity by 50 percent. Delhi Jal Board's marvelous work has led to the WTPs operating at full capacity now," he said.

#WATCH | Toxic foam floats on Yamuna river near Kalindi Kunj in Delhi pic.twitter.com/aB8LGRiHFo — ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2021

Randheer Kumar, President of Chhath Puja Samiti of Vikas Nagar area in an interview with ANI said that though the number of COVID-19 cases is lesser than the previous year, they are ensuring that the people follow all the necessary precautions.

"Chhath Puja is a festival of faith. People come together to celebrate this `mahaparv` with joy. We will follow all the COVID-19 protocols here at the ghat. I urge people to maintain distance and avoid gatherings. We are celebrating this festival for decades and this year, our volunteers at the ghat are ensuring that the people follow all the necessary precautions in wake of the pandemic. We will provide masks and sanitisers to the people too," said Kumar.

Chhath Puja is a festival dedicated to the Sun God and is mainly observed by the people from Bihar, Jharkhand and bordering areas in Uttar Pradesh. The festival begins with the 'Nahai Khai' ritual and will be concluded after four days by performing 'Usha Arghya.'

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