Boats and barricades were seen this morning on the river Yamuna in Delhi, where toxic foam has endangered women taking ritual dips for Chhath Puja. In viral images, a man can be seen spraying water to keep the filthy froth away. 

According to images posted by news agency ANI from Kalindi Kunj in south Delhi, two men were seen installing bamboo barricades in the river to “stop the foam from floating towards the banks”.

Also Read | In Pics | Rituals, rivers and foam in focus as India celebrates Chhath Puja

The Delhi Jal Board had assigned him the task of spraying water at the river all day, according to a worker. “I will do this till the evening. This is my duty – to keep spraying water,” Ashok Kumar told ANI.

As the Delhi government battled criticism over shocking images of Chhath Puja devotees standing in foam caused by pollutants in the Yamuna, boats were seen in the river.

“Delhi government has deployed 15 boats to remove  foam that is forming in the Yamuna due to increasing pollution,” an official was quoted as saying.

The idea was to “tie a strong cloth between two boats and drag the foam to the banks”, the official said.

Also Read | Delhi gasps to breathe clean air while toxic foam floats on Yamuna

The boats were summoned ahead of the “Sandhya Arghya,” a ritual in which devotees bathe in holy water and worship the sun on the third day of  Chhath Puja

Environmentalists, political parties, and citizens have expressed concern about  white foam that has covered a large portion of the river, revealing the extent of pollution in the Yamuna. 

According to experts, this is the result of rising ammonia levels and high phosphate content caused by the discharge of industrial pollutants into the river. They claim that much of it is chemical waste dumped along the riverbanks by illegal jeans-making units.

The issue has taken a political turn, with the BJP targeting the Aam Aadmi Party, which is in power in Delhi.

“The central government has provided (Delhi Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal ₹2,419 crore so far to clean the Yamuna. Let alone clean, the Yamuna is dirtier than ever before. Where did all the money go? Has Arvind Kejriwal spent all the money in putting out more ads just to promote himself,” the BJP asked in an open letter to Kejriwal.

Raghav Chadha, vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board and an AAP leader, has accused the BJP-ruled states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana of dumping untreated waste into the river.