Delhi has been shocked to see Toxic Foam Returns to Yamuna. The campaign that the Rekha Gupta-led government has launched since February 2025, promising to clean up the river, has now come under question.
The government launched a βΉ9,000 crore Maha Abhiyan β installing new sewage treatment plants, drain surveys, silt removal and monitoring systems. Official figures show that the situation has improved somewhat.
BOD levels have decreased from 70-127 mg/l to 25-33 mg/l.
Faecal Coliform dropped from 8.4 million to 92,000 MPN/100ml.
This fall looks like a big accomplishment on paper. But the truth is, itβs still well above the safe limit. White Toxic Foam Returns to Yamuna is again floating in the river as winter begins. The video is rapidly going viral on social media, clearly showing that the reality on the ground is still challenging.
Critics say that if the foam does not stop even after βΉ9,000 crore has been spent, then there is something wrong with the scheme. They are questioning whether oversight is robust or just showing paper improvements?
Proponents, on the other hand, say the effects of decades of accumulated dirt may not dissipate in a year or two. They acknowledge that initial improvements are evident, but full change requires time, public participation and strict rule enforcement.
The biggest question now is β
Will the Yamuna really be clean, or will the foam remain a mirror of the truth of development?
Unless the flow of household dirt, industrial waste and detergents is completely stopped, the foam problem is likely to return again and again.
The future of Delhi, the environment and the health of millions of people are directly linked to the condition of the Yamuna. It remains to be seen if the campaign changes history, or is limited to statistics.
