• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

As the Chhath Puja approaches, the Delhi government is preparing the Yamuna for ceremonial dips by promising a cleaner river which means no toxic foam in the sacred river. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has assured that efforts are underway to ensure devotees won't encounter the floating white froth during the holy ritual.

Part of this cleanup involves the use of chemical defoamers, transported to the river in conspicuous blue drums. However, the sight of these drums has reignited an old political spat, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing the ruling BJP of hypocrisy.

The controversy stems from the use of these very defoaming chemicals, a method once slammed by the BJP when AAP was in power. Now, with BJP in charge and actively employing the same method, AAP is calling it a clear case of double standards.

It's questioning how the BJP, particularly water minister Parvesh Verma, was terming the defoamer “poison” when the then AAP government led by Arvind Kejriwal used it; and is now seeing an anti-pollution “weapon” in it.

At the center of this political back-and-forth is BJP leader and Delhi water minister Parvesh Verma. Saurabh Bharadwaj, the AAP Delhi president and former health minister, shared a video from October 2022 in which Parvesh Verma can be seen berating a Delhi Jal Board officer for using “this poison”.

AAP leaders have pointed out how, just three years ago, Verma strongly opposed the use of defoamers during AAP’s tenure. Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP’s Delhi president and former health minister, posted a 2022 video showing Verma confronting a Delhi Jal Board official, calling the chemical “poison.”

In that clip, Verma, visibly upset, told the officer, “Should I pour this chemical on your head? Aren’t you ashamed? People will come here to take a dip. Go, you take a dip first here!” The officer defended the practice, saying, “Why are you so angry? This chemical is approved.”

AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha recently visited the riverbank, where blue drums labeled “defoamer concentrate” were lined up. In a video, he said, “This chemical is being added to the Yamuna to remove the foam. I am showing this because there's a BJP government in Delhi, and Parvesh Verma is a minister. I want to ask Parvesh Verma if now this is poison.”

ALSO READ: SpiceJet Adds Direct Flights To Bihar, UP, Maharashtra And Other States For Diwali, Chhath Puja | Check Schedule

The defoaming agents being used are chemicals that suppress and break down surface bubbles. Officials have confirmed that the substance being sprayed is approved by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and commonly used in industrial applications.

Back in 2022, Jal Board officials had explained that the defoamer was a silicon dioxide-based agent containing poly-oxypropylene compounds. They argued it was safe, citing that silicon dioxide is found in everyday products like shampoos, conditioners, and even medications.

Officials have said they sprayed a chemical that's approved by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

ALSO READ: Nitish Kumar's JDU Balances Caste Equation With Luv-Kush Combination, Muslim Representation In Candidate List

“Silicon dioxide is derived from silica or sand. It is used in shampoos, conditioners and even some medicines. Some videos of doctors talking about its toxicity are being seen in the social media, but we need to understand that these compounds need to be spoken about in the context of right concentration and dosage. Excess of everything including oxygen can be injurious. The mixture is being used with 100 times dilution and there is visible improvement in the water quality,” a Jal Board official told HT.

Delhi CM promises devotees a froth-free Yamuna this Chhath Puja

Inspecting preparations for Chhath at the Kalindi Kunj Ghat riverfront ahead of the festival from October 25-28, Gupta said, "This is the same place where, under the AAP government, devotees had to stand in polluted, froth-filled water to offer prayers. Now, under the BJP government's efforts, you can see clean water flowing in the Yamuna. There is no filth or foam."

"This time, women holding the Chhath fast will offer 'arghya' to the Sun God in clean Yamuna water. They will not face any filth or froth," Gupta said.

"Some people are trying to spread misleading information using old videos," she said.
"But this year, devotees will see a cleaner, living Yamuna. This time, both Diwali and Chhath will be grand," she added.

Chhath, celebrated six days after Diwali, holds special significance for the Purvanchali community in Delhi. The three-day festival sees women fasting and offering prayers to the setting and rising sun with cow milk and Ganga water as ‘arghya'.

CM Rekha Gupta went to the riverbank on Thursday and explained the success of Yamuna de-foaming plans, and said the agents being used are environment-friendly and approved by the appropriate authorities.

( With PTI Inputs )

Also In News