NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Atishi on Tuesday wrote a letter to chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar demanding action against BJP-ruled Haryana government for trying to “sabotage water supply” in Delhi to influence the upcoming assembly elections.
Atishi termed the Haryana government’s action as an act of water terrorism and said that water treatment plants of Delhi Jal Board are designed to treat ammonia only upto 1 ppm level. Howerer, ammonia levels have steadily increased in the water coming to Delhi via River Yamuna due to mixing of untreated sewage or industrial waste from Haryana.
“In continuation of my letter dated 27 January 2025 highlighting the deliberate attempt by the Government of Haryana to sabotage the water supply of the people of Delhi in an attempt to influence the conduct of free and fair elections in Delhi, I am enclosing a note submitted yesterday i.e. 27 January 2025 by the CEO of Delhi Jal Board to Delhi chief secretary on this matter,” the letter read.
“Despite knowing the toxic effects of releasing ammonia in raw water supply, the note of CEO of Delhi Jal Board leaves no doubt that it is due to the indiscriminate and deliberate dumping of untreated sewage and industrial waste from Haryana that is causing the present water supply crisis in Delhi. This is not an act of negligence; it is an act of water terrorism to deliberately impact the conduct of free and fair elections in Delhi,” she added.
This comes a day after AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal had claimed that Haryana government was “mixing poison” in the water coming from the state.
Kejriwal alleged that Delhi people were getting dirty drinking water from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, both of which is ruled by the BJP. He had further appreciated the Delhi Jal Board engineers for identifying the “poison” mixed in Yamuna waters coming to the national capita.
“BJP has done such an act that has never been seen before. People of Delhi get drinking water from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh… BJP-led Haryana govt has mixed poison in the Yamuna water coming to Delhi. Thanks to Delhi Jal Board engineers who caught this, they stopped that water at Delhi border and didn’t let it enter Delhi. Had that water entered Delhi and got mixed with drinking water, several people would have died..,” he had said.
Meanwhile, Haryana chief minister warned the AAP chief of taking legal action over the remark.
“Arvind Kejriwal should immediately apologize to the people of Haryana and Delhi for his statement, otherwise, we will file a defamation suit against him,” Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini told ANI.
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla also slammed Kejriwal of trying to divert attention from real issues by using the “ABCD” tactic– “Accuse, blame, conspiracy and divert.” “Shoot and scoot, ABCD – Accuse, Blame, Conspiracy and Divert – these are the tactics being used by Arvind Kejriwal… Now, to divert the issue, Arvind Kejriwal is now disrespecting the people of Haryana saying that Haryana has poisoned the water of river Yamuna..,” he said.