Extra water flow from Hathnikund barrage helping keep Yamuna clean this Chhath

Chhath Puja: The neighbouring Haryana has started discharging extra water in the Yamuna ahead of Chhath, aiding efforts of the BJP-led Delhi government to keep the river clean and froth-free during the Purvanchali festival, sources said on Wednesday.

The Delhi Jal Board has also resorted to the use of de-foaming spray to reduce pollution levels in the river.

Earlier, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the Kalindi Kunj Chhath Ghat to inspect the preparations there.

On Tuesday, she briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on these preparations.

“There is an unprecedented increase in the level of water released in the Yamuna River from Hathnikund, and the water that was supposed to be released into the Western Canal and Eastern Canal has significantly reduced. Due to this, temporarily, the river has reduced levels of pollution,” a DJB source said.

According to the data available on the website of the Central Water Commission (CWC), since October 21, on average, around 8,000 cusecs of water is being released into the river mainstream from the barrage.

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Every year, Chhath brings Yamuna’s pollution to the forefront.

The festival will be celebrated from October 25 to 28.

The barrage, which intercepts the Yamuna and divides it into three channels, the Western Yamuna Canal, the Eastern Yamuna Canal, and the main river stream, has been releasing a significantly higher volume of water into the Yamuna.

The water from the Western Yamuna Canal passes through villages of Haryana, and the water is used for irrigation purposes.

Another senior DJB official attributed the increased water levels to a prolonged monsoon season.

“There is an increased level of water release because of the extended monsoon season. The water collected in the barrage is being released into the river. Besides that, the de-foaming measures are ongoing,” the official told PTI.

The DJB has deployed at least 12 boats to spray the anti-froth liquid on the surface of the river. The exercise is likely to continue till the Chhath and maybe after, the official said.

While the additional water flow is helping dilute pollutants, experts note that the improvement may be short-lived unless structural measures are taken to tackle the root causes of pollution in the Yamuna.

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