Ganesh Puja done, Navaratri coming; is River Yamuna ready?

Ganesh Puja has ended, and Navratri pandals are going up across Delhi. As festivals grow in scale under a political climate that celebrates them loudly, more idols are left to be immersed each year. Often made of Plaster of Paris and coated in paints containing lead and mercury, they poison the river, kill aquatic life and contaminate water people drink and use for irrigation.

In the national capital, the Yamuna is now facing the annual challenge of religious festivities that leave the river polluted. Already burdened by industrial and other waste, the idols and puja material add to the pollution. The video takes a deep dive into the issue.