Agra Jun 2 (PTI) Environmentalists on Sunday claimed that the dust emanating from the drying Yamuna river is creating pockmarks on historical monuments and demanded arrangements be made to ensure minimum flow of water in the river.

River Connect Campaign activists held a protest here against the "deplorable" condition of the Yamuna.

"The dry river is a threat not only to the environment as it raises the SPM (suspended particulate matter) level in the air, but also to the historical monuments along its banks, including the Taj Mahal," activist Jyoti Vishal Jha said.

Environmentalist Shravan Kumar Singh said the dust level continues to rise alarmingly in the city.

"This is because there is no water in Yamuna and the dust raised from the river bed hits the surface of monuments, creating pockmarks," he said.

The activists demanded desilting of Yamuna for minimum flow of water in the river.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)