World Environment Day: Families bathe in toxic foam floating on Yamuna. Check pics

A family bathes in the polluted waters of river Yamuna laden with foam.

On World Environment Day, environmentalists and enthusiasts in Delhi took it upon themselves to clean at least the shore of Yamuna which has been covered with toxic foam caused by the release of industrial waste into the river. Interestingly, even as activists and media continue to spread awareness about how dangerous a  health concern the river water can become, people, including kids, continue to take dips into the Yamuna which apart from being known as one of India's holiest rivers, is also one of the most polluted ones.

A man bathes in the polluted waters of river Yamuna laden with foam.

The toxic foam is caused by the high phosphate content in the wastewater released into the river. Detergents used in dyeing industries, dhobi ghats, and households are the major sources of phosphate that reach the river through untapped drains. When the water falls from a height at a barrage, the turbulence agitates the phosphoric compounds in the river leading to the formation of froth.

Women change clothes after taking a bath in the polluted waters of river Yamuna laden with foam.

But bathing in the toxic foam can result in respiratory and skin problems, such as drying and severe eczema. It can also lead to skin allergies, irritation, and many types of skin pigmentation. Those with a family history of autoimmune diseases like diabetes and thyroid may experience this earlier. Moreover, vitiligo or other autoimmune diseases can get triggered by the polluted water, experts said.

A man bathes in the polluted waters of river Yamuna laden with foam.

The polluted Yamuna water also has a high amount of ammonia, which if swallowed, can cause serious damage to the lungs and lead to gastrointestinal problems and diseases like typhoid. Long-term exposure to heavy metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic may also cause hair fall, conjunctivitis, and hormonal imbalances, experts said.

Read more: Foam in Yamuna gift to Delhi from neighbouring states: AAP leader Raghav Chadha