The Yamuna pollution row intensified in Delhi on Saturday after the Aam Aadmi Party challenged BJP leaders to drink water from the river at Kalindi Kunj, where thick white foam was visible on the surface. AAP said the pollution worsens downstream of Wazirabad and accused BJP leaders of turning the condition of the river into a political contest.
The party’s response followed renewed attention to the foaming water at the Kalindi Kunj ghat. AAP leaders said the stretch of the Yamuna from Palla to Wazirabad, covering about 26 kilometres, remains comparatively cleaner and that pollution increases after major drains enter the river. These claims were attributed by the party to Delhi Pollution Control Committee reports, although the report did not provide specific document numbers or measurements.
AAP identified the Najafgarh drain, which joins the Yamuna near Wazirabad and the Signature Bridge, as the first major drain responsible for significant pollution after the river enters Delhi. The party put the drain’s flow at 862 million gallons a day and said the discharge affects the river downstream of the Wazirabad stretch.
The dispute also centres on the role of upstream water releases. AAP alleged that, as during last year’s Chhath period, the BJP-led Haryana government had released additional fresh water from the Hathnikund barrage following directions from the Centre. According to the party, the additional water can dilute the visible effect of pollutants temporarily, after which political leaders use the changed appearance of the river for publicity. The report did not include an independent confirmation of the alleged release or its effect on pollution levels.
AAP leaders specifically challenged BJP MP Manoj Tiwari and Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma to visit Kalindi Kunj and drink the river water instead of issuing statements. The challenge referred to last year’s political dispute over the condition of the Yamuna, including allegations surrounding the creation of a so-called ‘fake Yamuna’ for public events.
The latest episode highlights how pollution at Kalindi Kunj has become both a visible environmental problem and a recurring test of accountability between Delhi’s political parties. The white foam is linked in public debate to pollution entering the river through drains, but the material supplied for this report does not include fresh laboratory results, a pollution-control notice or an official response from the BJP, Haryana government, Delhi government or Delhi Pollution Control Committee.
The immediate political exchange is therefore based largely on competing claims. AAP has asked BJP leaders to demonstrate their confidence in the river’s condition at the affected site, while the report records no formal response from the challenged leaders. Further clarity would depend on official water-quality measurements, confirmation of any Hathnikund release and responses from the authorities responsible for monitoring the Yamuna.
