Nadda Responds to Kejriwal, Reveals High Ammonia Levels at Delhi's Borders

New Delhi, Jan 30 (NationPress) Union Minister and BJP National President J.P. Nadda strongly criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for its assertion that the Haryana government is “poisoning” the Yamuna River.

Nadda presented an infographic illustrating a significant increase in pollution levels as the river enters Delhi, accusing the AAP government of negligence and ineffective governance.

AAP national leader Arvind Kejriwal claimed that the BJP was “poisoning” the water supply in Delhi to create unrest ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. He stated that the residents of Delhi rely on drinking water sourced from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, but alleged that the Haryana government has “tainted” the water from the Yamuna. He emphasized that it was only due to the vigilance of the Delhi Jal Board engineers that this contaminated water was prevented from reaching the people.

In response, Nadda took to X to say, “The AAP's blame game regarding Yamuna pollution reveals its incompetence and failed governance. For more than a decade, the Arvind Kejriwal administration has produced nothing but corruption, falsehoods, and empty promises. Despite receiving Rs 8,500 crores from the Central Government, there has been no significant progress in cleaning the river.”

Referencing pollution statistics, Nadda noted that the infographic from Info in Data demonstrated an alarming rise in pollution levels as the Yamuna enters Delhi.

“The infographic from Infoindata illustrates how pollution escalates immediately upon the Yamuna entering Delhi. Rather than accepting accountability, the AAP government has resorted to instilling fear in the populace for political leverage. Arvind Kejriwal ought to apologize to the citizens of Haryana and Delhi for his remarks,” he added.

The infographic, which cited the Central Pollution Control Board and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, highlighted the surge in Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and ammonia levels along the Yamuna's trajectory through Delhi.

The entry point at Palla recorded BOD at 2 mg/l and ammonia at 5.5 mg/l. At Wazirabad, BOD climbed to 7 mg/l, peaking at 47 mg/l at ISBT Bridge, and standing at 44 mg/l at Okhla Barrage. The exit point at Asgarpur exhibited BOD at 85 mg/l and ammonia at 56.1 mg/l. Elevated BOD signifies poorer water quality, while ammonia is a dangerous pollutant that impacts both aquatic life and human health.

The Election Commission of India has also voiced its discontent with Kejriwal’s comments regarding the Yamuna water situation. The ECI pointed out that he failed to provide any factual or legal evidence supporting his claims.

The Commission had sought clarification from Kejriwal following complaints from BJP and Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit, representing the New Delhi Assembly constituency.

In his response, Kejriwal acknowledged that there was indeed 7 ppm ammonia in Yamuna water and that a Delhi Jal Board letter recognized toxicity levels were 700 percent above the permissible limit.

He attributed the crisis to Haryana, claiming the DJB letter identified the indiscriminate dumping of industrial waste by Haryana as the root cause. He contended that the Delhi government bears no responsibility, as Haryana is an upper-riparian state.

As the Delhi elections approach, the controversy surrounding Yamuna water has emerged as a significant political issue between AAP and BJP, with both parties accusing each other of contributing to the city's water crisis.