Haryana CM Drinks Yamuna Water Amid Poisoning Claims; Intensifies Critique of AAP
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Synopsis
In a bold move amidst claims of the Yamuna river being toxic, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini drank water from the river near Delhi, criticizing Arvind Kejriwal for spreading misinformation. The Haryana government is taking legal action against Kejriwal’s comments, emphasizing their commitment to providing clean water to Delhi.
Key Takeaways
- Nayab Singh Saini drank Yamuna water to counter claims of contamination.
- The Haryana government is pursuing legal action against Kejriwal.
- Delhi receives its water from the Yamuna and Ravi-Beas rivers.
- The Central Pollution Control Board identified pollution sources, yet no action has been taken by Delhi.
- Haryana maintains a commitment to supplying clean water.
Chandigarh, Jan 29 (NationPress) In light of the ongoing debate regarding the Yamuna river being labeled as "toxic" in Delhi, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday sampled water from the river adjacent to the Delhi border, criticizing AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for what he termed "falsehoods".
"I consumed the water from the sacred Yamuna at the Haryana border without any hesitation. Kejriwal has openly deceived the public. I have relatives in Delhi too. The AAP leader should promptly apologize," the Chief Minister expressed on X.
In related news, the state's Revenue and Disaster Management Minister announced that the government is addressing the former Delhi Chief Minister's remarks regarding the capital's water supply and has initiated legal proceedings against him in the Sonipat court under the Disaster Management Act.
Describing Kejriwal's claims as ridiculous and misleading, Goel urged the Election Commission of India to take note of such unfounded allegations.
"Kejriwal has resorted to petty politics by making such claims against Haryana, prompting the state government to pursue legal recourse," he stated.
He noted that the water supplied to Delhi is the same as that consumed by the President, Prime Minister, and Union Ministers.
He accused Kejriwal of inciting panic not just among the residents of Delhi but also among the people of Haryana through his misleading assertions.
Just a day prior, Chief Minister Saini remarked that the allegation of toxic water made by Kejriwal was merely a political maneuver by the AAP to sway voters in the forthcoming Delhi Assembly elections and distract from its own shortcomings.
He mentioned that this matter has been brought before the Election Commission of India.
"Ensuring a dependable water supply to the national capital is a shared responsibility, which Haryana fulfills with diligence and without fail," he stated.
Highlighting the inadequacies of the Delhi government, the Chief Minister pointed out that in 2021, Delhi had filed a petition to which the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) responded.
"The CPCB's response pointed out the ammonia-nitrogen issue in the Wazirabad pond and indicated that there exists a water treatment facility in Agra that can handle ammonia levels up to 24 mg/l. However, the Delhi government has failed to upgrade the Wazirabad facility. Consequently, residents of Delhi continue to consume contaminated water while Arvind Kejriwal attempts to shift blame to Haryana to mask his own failures," he elaborated.
He stated that Delhi's drinking water supply of 1,049 cusecs is sourced from the Yamuna and Ravi-Beas rivers.
“Haryana consistently delivers this water to Delhi via two canals: The Carrier Line Channel (CLC) and the Delhi Branch. Since the Carrier Line Channel's inception in 2014, Haryana has not supplied any water to Delhi through drains or directly from the Yamuna River; instead, we provide clean water exclusively through the canal system of CLC and Delhi Branch.”
He reassured that the Haryana government is devoted to guaranteeing the purity and continuous supply of water to Delhi.
The Chief Minister stated that previously, the CPCB conducted tests on the water from Yamunanagar (Haryana) to Wazirabad (Delhi) and identified the main pollution sources.
The findings indicated that polluted water is being illegally discharged between Palla and Wazirabad.
Moreover, sediment build-up in the Wazirabad pond is elevating ammonia nitrogen levels.
However, the Delhi government has not acted on the CPCB report since 2021.
There has been no cessation of the illegal discharge of contaminated water between Palla and Wazirabad, nor has there been any initiative to clean the Wazirabad pond.
