White toxic foam returns, data missing: AAP targets BJP over Yamuna pollution

New Delhi: AAP Delhi state president Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that after his earlier exposé, the Delhi government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Water Minister Parvesh Verma stopped publishing monthly Yamuna pollution reports.

Sharing what he said was the last laboratory report issued by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on social media platform X, Bharadwaj alleged that no further data had been made public since then. He claimed that under the previous AAP government led by Arvind Kejriwal, Yamuna pollution reports were released every month from 2014 onwards.

According to Bharadwaj, discontinuing these reports raises serious questions about transparency and accountability in governance.

Claims of restricted scrutiny by expert panel

The AAP leader further alleged that the BJP-led government is blocking independent scrutiny by denying access to sewage treatment plants (STPs) and pollution data to an IIT Delhi expert panel appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). 

He claimed that the panel was tasked with reviewing the functioning of 37 STPs, but the Delhi government was not cooperating, which he said deepened concerns about the intent to conceal the river’s actual condition.

AAP cites DPCC report on water quality

Referring to a DPCC report dated October 23, 2025, Bharadwaj said Yamuna water in Delhi was unfit even for bathing and contained alarming levels of human waste. He warned that suppressing such information could pose serious public health risks, particularly for communities dependent on the river.

He also alleged that political considerations were influencing the handling of pollution data, claiming that pollution levels could rise further once water diversion from the Eastern Yamuna Canal by the Haryana government ends.

Chhath Puja visuals spark fresh controversy

AAP leaders also referred to visuals released around Chhath Puja at Kalindi Kunj Ghat, where the Delhi government showcased the Yamuna as pollution-free and without visible white foam.

However, Bharadwaj and other AAP leaders claimed that the white froth reappeared shortly afterwards, alleging that the cleanliness shown during official visits was temporary and misleading.

Report contrasting ground reality

Some local and freelance journalists covering the event have reported what they described as a “staged cleanup” during official shoots. According to these reports, boats operated by government-appointed workers were seen spraying substances on the river surface from morning till evening to temporarily suppress visible froth during filming.

These journalists alleged that the foam returned the very next day, raising questions about the sustainability and authenticity of the measures shown. The Delhi government has not officially responded to these specific claims.

AAP draws comparison with past BJP criticism

AAP leaders pointed out that the BJP had earlier criticised the AAP government for failing to clean the Yamuna, but now stands accused of attempting to “manage optics” rather than address pollution at its source.

According to AAP, the key difference, as alleged by the party, is that the current government is trying to “mislead the public” by withholding data and presenting selective visuals, rather than acknowledging the scale of the problem.

Government response awaited

The Delhi government has not issued a detailed response to the allegations regarding data suppression, restricted access for expert panels, or claims made by journalists about temporary foam removal. Investigations into Yamuna pollution and governance practices remain ongoing.