What Yamuna's pollution means for those who live on its banks
Apr 2, 2025
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Join Sophiya Mathew and Devansh Mittal from The Indian Express as they uncover the dire state of the Yamuna River. Both reporters share harrowing insights from their journey along the river, showcasing political failures and severe pollution levels. They discuss the stark contrasts of life along the riverbanks, where some engage in recreational activities despite environmental hazards. Additionally, the guests delve into the struggles faced by local farmers and the river's sacred significance in Hindu culture, creating a complex tapestry of life surrounding this vital waterway.
The severe pollution of the Yamuna River, with toxic contaminant levels far exceeding permissible limits, poses significant health risks to local communities reliant on its resources.
Despite its contamination, the Yamuna River maintains immense cultural significance for many residents, who continue to engage in traditional religious practices despite the associated health hazards.
Deep dives
Yamuna's Pollution Crisis
The Yamuna River in Delhi is facing a severe pollution crisis, marked by high levels of toxic substances such as ammonia and fecal coliform, which far exceed permissible limits. Monitoring by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee reveals alarming spikes in contamination levels, with fecal coliforms recently recorded at 16 million units per 100 ml, approximately 6,400 times the acceptable standard. These escalating pollution levels impede aquatic life, with dissolved oxygen levels often dropping to zero in significant stretches of the river, practically rendering it lifeless. Despite promises from politicians to tackle this issue, the river remains heavily polluted, underpinning concerns for local communities who depend on it for their livelihoods.
Impact on Local Livelihoods
The Yamuna River is not just a geographical landmark but a crucial resource for many of Delhi's residents, especially those who live along its banks. Communities such as fishermen and washermen, along with slum dwellers, rely significantly on the river for their economic activities, yet the pollution has devastated their traditional practices. For instance, the decline in fish populations has made it nearly impossible for fishermen to sustain their livelihoods, while the washing of clothes in the river has become rare due to health concerns. The river's degradation has led to a withdrawal from many communal activities traditionally centered around it, signaling a distressing shift in the relationship between the residents and this vital waterway.
Cultural and Religious Significance
Despite its deteriorating condition, the Yamuna holds immense cultural and religious significance for many residents, particularly within the Hindu community. Ritual activities such as bathing for religious observances still occur, although participation has dwindled due to health risks associated with the river's pollution. Interestingly, some individuals continue to immerse themselves in its waters for spiritual reasons, ignoring the visible signs of distress and contamination. This enduring reverence juxtaposed with practical disengagement reflects a complex relationship that residents maintain with the river, where faith, nostalgia, and necessity collide amid ongoing environmental decline.
For the citizens of Delhi, the Yamuna, the city's most prominent river, has become one of the many symbols of just how polluted their city is. Despite it being a hot topic during every election that the city sees, the change is hardly ever visible. However, even with the existing pollution levels, the river remains to be a lifeline for those who live on its banks.
Today, The Indian Express' Sophiya Mathew and Devansh Mittal join us to talk about everything that they witnessed as they travelled from Palla, where the Yamuna enters Delhi from Haryana, to Okhla where the river flows into Uttar Pradesh.
Hosted by Niharika Nanda Produced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank Bhargava Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
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