Fish gasp for oxygen in ‘cleanest’ Yamuna stretch, greens raise a stink
Hundreds of dead fish have been discovered in the Yamuna river near Delhi, raising alarms about water quality in a stretch previously considered clean. Environmental groups are calling for an urgent investigation into potential industrial pollution and sewage discharge.
Why it matters
The Yamuna is a critical source of drinking water for Delhi, and recurring pollution events pose a significant public health risk to the city's population.
NEW DELHI: Visuals of hundreds of dead fish and many more gasping for oxygen in Yamuna upstream of Wazirabad have raised fresh concerns over the river’s pollution levels. The alarming development comes soon after the monsoon, when the river is expected to have adequate water along with cleaner inflows from upstream.TOI had recently reported a spike in pollution levels in the river in Sept, raising questions about why water quality remains so poor even after the monsoon.Over the past few days, fishermen had been reporting a rising stink from the river before large numbers of dead fish were found floating Tuesday in its main channel near Burari – between Palla and Wazirabad – which is often considered its cleanest stretch in Delhi.Such events have occurred in the past, often during summer when the reduced river flow limits the dilution of pollutants.
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