Class 6 Visit Yamuna
23rd February, 2018

TRIP TO YAMUNA

We, the class six children, had gone for a trip to Yamuna on the 23rd of February. It was a long but educational trip. The purpose was to see the pollution. We also saw the underprivileged people on the banks and their living conditions, so that we don't take anything for granted. We could really smell and feel the pollution and so we had to come up with a solution!
Will you believe it? 22 drains flow into the Yamuna only in the small stretch of Delhi. We observed that many people lived by the banks who sold small puja things to earn a living. Even though the government has made a separate area to disperse the "Puja Samagri", people are lazy. Instead of acting like mature citizens, people just dump in puja things into the river from the overlooking area. Every minute various things are thrown into the river. If only we could let the river flow for 8 kms without human disturbance or interference, it can purify itself. If only all of us would promise not to destroy Yamuna, there might be a chance of change because we do not want to end up in water shortage like Capetown. Do we?
After giving it a deep thought, I feel there are a few solutions we could adapt to like- installing sewage treatment plants and use rain water harvesting in each colony or society. We could also appoint a few policemen near the bridges overlooking the river to stop people from polluting the river. It's not too late to make a change. To save the earth, save rivers

Miheeka Bagla 6A

Our Trip To the River Yamuna

On 23rd February 2018, we went on a school trip to River Yamuna to see for ourselves the ever increasing pollution plaguing the once clean river.

After reaching, as soon as we got off the bus we had to cover our noses to avoid the stinking smell coming from the river and it's dirty surroundings. Once we went nearer to the riverbank, we saw paper waste and the waste from prayer ceremonies and rituals, etc. floating on the surface of the almost still water. Up above we saw the fly-over which had grilling done around it to prevent people from throwing the waste but people had broken the grill in between so that they could throw their waste easily into the river - which is not only illegal but also insensitive towards our nature and fellow beings.

Even when the government has especially cleared a separate area for prayer ceremonies' waste but people do not want to take the pain and effort of going down, and have instead resorted to this lazy short-cut technique to easily get rid of their waste. The silt has been clogging the drains and now has formed a big piece of land, resulting in the shortening of the width of the river. Because of all these causes,98% of the pollution in the river is sewage waste.

Also, 22 drains empty into this once treasured river-the largest being the Najafgarh drain. They are then taken to sewage treatment plants on the three barrages-(from north-south) first being the Wazirabad barrage, second being the ITO barrage and the last one being the Okhla barrage.

We humans have caused these problems and now it is on us to find the solutions for them as well. We are now on the fourth phase plan but even after investing crores and crores, there has been no solution. We should devise a machine to pull out all the waste material, have more sewage treatment and rainwater harvesting plants, tighten the grills to make them permanent, have tighter security, etc. Besides the steps being taken by the government, it is the duty of each individual to contribute in his/her own way. We can increase awareness about keeping our surroundings clean ("swachchta") and segregating garbage by organising plays and other awareness campaigns for both educated and uneducated people, as it is becoming critical to protect and save our environment and the only river flowing in Delhi – for us and our future generations.

Kyra Dhar 6C

Our Trip to Yamuna

A one and an half hour bus ride took us to the Yamuna in Wazirabad. It was a horrible sight which we saw because of us humans the Yamuna was suffering. We couldn't bear the sight of people drinking and bathing from the filthy river water. We all could easily make connections of what we were seeing in real life and the presentation shown by Ms.Datta in class.

The total stretch of Yamuna in Delhi is about 48km. If we let it flow for 8km without polluting it, a river has the capacity of purifying itself. There were almost 18 drains depositing itself into the Yamuna and I am sure you can imagine the sight. Inspite of their being a place to keep your Pooja stuff, people were throwing it directly into the river.

So friends, I want all of you to pledge today not to pollute the river and talk to your society/block head to develop a sewage treatment plant because you can't keep waiting for the government to make changes.

Aarush Kapur 6A

Our Trip to Yamuna

As you all know our precious river Yamuna is getting polluted and dirty. How is it happening? Who is doing it? i know these questions are in your mind but wait you are the people who are doing this, us humans are spoiling mother nature. I never took this seriously until our school took us to a trip to Yamuna. It is so dirty you cant believe. People who are homeless dirty it by bathing, washing clothes etc. Which is wrong but they are uneducated so they don't know what to do. But people who are educated and they are still doing this is very disappointing. They throw puja remains as a ritual, even though the government has made a separate place for it. But what they think is, that we don't need to follow rules, Who follows rules!

But instead go thinking and taking about this we have to have a solution for this and do something. My opinion is that we stop littering and then when people finally listen we can put a net everyday and see how much dirt is coming out. The Yamuna will still remain a bit dirty but cleaner. We can also put guards everywhere, people who litter can get fined Rs.5000. We need to listen and save Yamuna. If we do not, then earth would live and humans would die. And this is true but at least the Yamuna will stay clean. So buck up! And lets go to save our precious river Yamuna.

Shirani Prakash 6B