Palla villagers cross shallow muddy Yamuna as Hathnikund limits flow
Delhi's Yamuna River is barely recognizable right now; what used to be a flowing river is now just a shallow, muddy stream with exposed sandbanks.
In Palla village, people are literally walking or using bullock carts to cross what's left of the river between Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
The main culprit? Haryana's Hathnikund Barrage is releasing less than half the water needed for the river's health.
Yamuna pollution, low flow cause crisis
Things get worse downstream: pollution levels spike as untreated sewage pours in, causing dissolved oxygen (which fish need) to drop to 0 and fecal bacteria counts to skyrocket.
Experts say natural dips near bridges make some spots look fuller than they are, but overall, low water flow and heavy pollution have pushed the Yamuna into an ecological crisis.