A woman stands in the toxic foam that has collected over the Yamuna in Delhi. AFP
The Yamuna river and the toxic foam that that covers its surface regularly, became a topic of political debate on Sunday, during the festivities of Chhath Pooja.
On Sunday, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) director Sanjay Sharma bathed in water taken from the Yamuna after adding a defoamer to it to prove that the water is not poisonous.
After bathing in the water, he was quoted as telling reporters, “I have been saying it from day one (chemical is not poisonous). In fact, it has improved dissolved oxygen levels in the river water and other parameters such as biological oxygen demand and total suspended solids.”
The entire issue came to the fore after Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) West Delhi MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma clashed with the officials of the body and accused the Aam Aadmi Party of using a ‘poisonous’ defoamer to hide the froth emanating from the industrial waste dumped into the river.
So, what exactly was the issue? What are these defoamers used in the Yamuna and do they pose any health risks to humans? Here’s what we know about these chemicals and their use in the cleaning of the Yamuna.
What are defoamers?
Defoamers are anti-foaming agents that reduces or hinders the formation of foam in rivers. There are various kinds of defoamers in the market.
According to the DJB, the defoamer used in the Yamuna is a polyoxypropylene-based defoamer, and it is not poisonous. It is easily available in the market and is approved by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as the National Mission for Clean Ganga.
The board’s vice chairman and AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj also reiterated that the DJB’s anti-foaming chemical technology has been recommended by the central government’s NMCG.
He added that it’s stupid and incorrect to say that ‘a poisonous chemical’ is being used to suppress the foam in Yamuna. “Chemicals don’t always mean poison. Even chlorine and alum that are used to clean water are chemicals.”
Another DJB official was quoted as telling the Indian Express, “The defoamer is being diluted at a ratio of 1:100, which means that even constituents like silicone will not be risky since they are only present in residual form.”
However, there are some who argue that defoamers don’t actually clean the river and only supress the frothing so that it won’t be seen.
Varun Gulati, an environmentalist and an expert on Yamuna, was quoted as telling NewIndia, “Delhi government is spraying silicone defoamer in Yamuna and claiming that Yamuna will be pollution free, which is completely wrong. This chemical is widely used in STP and CETP. The main function of this chemical is to suppress the frothing so that it won’t be seen, but it does not clean the pollution present in the water by any chance.”
Some experts have also stated that the chemical could lead to itching, irritation in the eyes, nausea to anyone who comes in contact with it.
The primary reason behind the formation of the toxic foam on Yamuna is the high phosphate content in the wastewater. PTI
Why does the Yamuna froth?
The use of defoamers in the Yamuna arises over the toxic foam that spreads over the surface of the water body.
Environmentalists say that the toxic frothing of the Yamuna is triggered by industries discharging effluents containing a high concentration of ammonia and phosphate. Some illegal jeans-making units even dump chemical waste — mainly the substances used to dye denim — in the holy river.
Also read: Kali Bein, the holy rivulet from which Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann drank water and ‘took ill’
Other sources of pollution are domestic wasterwater, idol immersion, pesticide residue and untreated sewage. Experts add that while only two per cent of the river flows through Delhi, the city is responsible for about 80 per cent of its total pollution.
The toxic foam is hazardous to humans and can cause drying of skin and severe eczema. The foam can lead to skin allergies, irritation and many types of skin pigmentation. Vitiligo or other autoimmune diseases can also get triggered from the industrial pollution in the water.
Medical experts warn that the water, if swallowed, can also cause damage to the lungs and lead to gastrointestinal problems and diseases like typhoid.
With inputs from agencies
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.