Residents of Barvala village in Botad were alarmed on Monday after thick white foam—resembling the froth often seen in Delhi’s Yamuna River—appeared on the surface of the Utavali River near the Narankund causeway.
Villagers reported that the foam surfaced after rainfall in the upper catchment area and suspect that sewage water may have mixed into the river. The Salangpur Gram Panchayat alerted the mamlatdar (revenue officer) and expressed concern about possible chemical contamination. However, officials said there are no chemical factories in the area, leaving authorities puzzled about the source. The foam reportedly disappeared within a few hours.
Officials from the Botad district administration and Prant Office inspected the site, as the Utavali River flows into the Khambhada dam, which supplies water for irrigation and other uses. Farmers and local leaders have demanded an impartial probe into the cause of the foam.
Concerns have also been raised since the famous BAPS temple and a gurukul are located along the riverbank, where people and animals often use the water. Locals said the foam emitted a foul, sewage-like odour. Officials stated that if chemical traces are found, the source of discharge must be identified.
A team from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) sub-office in Sanand (Ahmedabad) will visit the site on October 29 to collect water samples for laboratory testing. Results are expected to clarify whether the foam was caused by chemical contamination or natural factors.
Locals, however, fear that much of the contaminated water may have already flowed downstream, which could affect test accuracy.
Meanwhile, the incident has reignited complaints that Botad still lacks a GPCB regional office—despite being declared a separate district in 2012 during the Swami Vivekananda Yatra by then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The absence of a local pollution monitoring office, residents say, has become evident in this latest episode.