NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Atishi, along with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, met the Election Commission on Tuesday to raise concerns over Delhi’s worsening water crisis.
Following the meeting, Atishi said, “Just now, I, along with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, met with the Election Commission. We had a long discussion over the water issue in Delhi. We told them how water coming from Haryana has poisonous ammonia levels. Water treatment plants in Delhi can only treat water up to PPM-1 and PPM-2.”
“However, since the last few days, the ammonia levels have been increasing up to PPM-7, which is poisonous. If this continues, many of our water treatment plants will shut down and 30 per cent of Delhi won’t be able to get water. Election Commission has assured us that they will take action, in favour of people of Delhi,” she added.
Atishi accuses Haryana government of ‘water terrorism’
Earlier in the day, Delhi CM Atishi wrote to chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar, demanding action against the BJP-led Haryana government, accusing it of attempting to “sabotage water supply” in Delhi to influence the upcoming assembly elections. She termed this move “water terrorism” and highlighted the crisis caused by untreated sewage and industrial waste being dumped into the Yamuna river.
“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.
Also read: ‘Untreated sewage from Haryana causing water supply crisis in Delhi’: Delhi CM Atishi writes to EC
She further stated, “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.”
Arvind Kejriwal accuses Haryana of mixing poison in Yamuna water
A day earlier, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the BJP-led Haryana government was “mixing poison” in the water supplied to Delhi. He claimed the Delhi Jal Board engineers identified the contamination and stopped it from entering the city.
“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,” Kejriwal said.
Haryana CM threatens legal action, BJP dismisses allegations
Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini responded strongly to Kejriwal’s remarks, threatening legal action. “Arvind Kejriwal should immediately apologize to the people of Haryana and Delhi for his statement, otherwise, we will file a defamation suit against him,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla criticised Kejriwal, accusing him of using diversionary tactics. “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 disrespecting the people of Haryana saying that Haryana has poisoned the water of river Yamuna,” he said.