Watch: Polluted river, polluted promises: The Yamuna’s silent crisis
Once the lifeline of Delhi, the Yamuna River today is barely recognisable. Once a source of livelihood and freshwater, it has now become a toxic waterway, shifting between a blanket of hazardous white froth and a dumping ground for Delhi’s untreated sewage and industrial waste.
Despite repeated promises, Yamuna pollution resurfaces in political debates only during elections—only to be forgotten once the results are announced. For many residents, a polluted Yamuna is just an eyesore on their daily commute. But for Delhi’s fisherfolk, the dying river is an existential crisis that threatens their survival.
Delhi’s fishing community, with deep roots in Bengal and Bihar, migrated to the capital over four decades ago, drawn by the city’s growing population and demand for fresh fish. Today, an estimated 200-250 fishing families remain, primarily settled in Jagatpur, Sonia Vihar, and Burari—struggling to sustain themselves as the Yamuna’s fish population collapses.
There was a time when the Yamuna sustained these families, brimming with fish and economic opportunity. But over the years, untreated sewage, chemical discharge, and industrial waste have turned the river toxic. The numbers tell the story—Delhi’s fish production stood at 4,420 metric tonnes in 1998-99, but by 2023-24, it has plunged to less than 10 metric tonnes.
With fish populations in rapid decline, traditional fishing is no longer a reliable source of income. Many fishermen have been forced to take up daily-wage jobs—on farms, in construction work, or wherever they can find employment. The transition has left them in economic distress, unable to make ends meet.
As they struggle for survival, their living conditions remain dire. The fisherfolk live in makeshift shanties on farmland, with no access to clean drinking water, toilets, or proper healthcare. Every year, during the Yamuna’s monsoon floods, their homes are submerged, making their situation even more precarious.
Unlike other states, Delhi lacks a proper fishing policy, failing to distinguish between commercial and amateur fishing. This bureaucratic loophole has left Delhi’s fisherfolk invisible in government records, making them ineligible for:
* Training programs
* Financial aid
* Subsidies under the Blue Revolution and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana
Even basic welfare schemes remain out of reach. Many in the fishing community claim they have received no financial aid, no LPG cylinders under Ujjwala Yojana, and no healthcare access from Delhi’s mohalla clinics.
As Delhi gears up for elections, political parties make grand promises, but Delhi’s fisherfolk remain forgotten. Apart from the occasional party flag or rally nearby, there is little evidence that the fishing settlements exist on any political agenda. When asked if any candidate has addressed their struggles, the answer is a resounding “No.”
And yet, despite being ignored, they continue to vote in every election, still hoping for change.
As Delhi prepares to choose its leaders once again, the fisherfolk of the Yamuna remain unseen—their lives tethered to a river gasping for breath. Will the political class finally wake up to their plight, or will they remain just another community abandoned by the system?
Published – February 04, 2025 06:19 pm IST