Tue Nov 05 19:05:50 UTC 2024: ## Toxic Foam Floats on Yamuna as Devotees Take Dip on First Day of Chhath Puja
**New Delhi, November 6, 2024:** Scores of devotees took a dip in the Yamuna River on the first day of the Chhath Puja celebrations on Tuesday, despite a thick layer of toxic froth covering the surface. This comes amidst a political row over river pollution, with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing neighboring BJP-governed states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh of releasing industrial waste into the Yamuna.
The BJP has countered by criticizing the AAP for failing to deliver on its promise of cleaning the river ahead of the festival, which is predominantly celebrated by Purvanchalis, the Bhojpuri-speaking people from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and parts of Jharkhand.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva accused the AAP government of playing politics over the festival and highlighted shortcomings in the preparations. He claimed that most artificial ghats constructed for the festival lacked water and power supply.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Atishi extended her wishes to the devotees, highlighting the AAP government’s efforts to provide more access to celebration sites. “Until 2014, Delhi had only 60 ghats. Now, with over 1,000 Chhath ghats, Purvanchali residents can celebrate the festival closer to their homes,” she said.
First Piper 