Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday alleged that reports of chemicals being dumped in the Yamuna river in Delhi for cleaning it from pollutants without any scientific investigation is extremely serious.
He demanded immediate action from the central and state governments to prevent such illegal methods to clean the river.
He said the matter concerns both the faith and health of millions of devotees, especially ahead of the Chhath festival.
Posting on his social media account X, Yadav said the Yamuna is not just a water stream, but a lifeline linked to the emotions and culture of millions of people. Such actions without examining the effects of the chemicals used on the human body and the environment are extremely irresponsible, he said.
He said that when the polluted water of the Yamuna flows through Mathura and Vrindavan and merges with the Ganga at Prayagraj, this pollution reaches the Ganga River and then affects many districts of eastern India, including Kashi.
He said that BJP governments have completely failed to maintain the purity of sacred rivers like the Yamuna and Ganga. Despite billions of rupees spent on projects like ‘Namami Gange’, the water pollution levels of the Ganga and Yamuna are continuously increasing.
He questioned where the billions of rupees allocated for river cleaning have gone. A thorough investigation should be conducted, and strict action should be taken against those responsible.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) leader said rivers in the country are not just a flow of water, but a symbol of culture, faith, and life.
He added that on sacred occasions like the Chhath festival, keeping in mind the safety and health of devotees, the purity of the Yamuna and Ganga water should be immediately tested so that their faith is not compromised.