Kejriwal's 'poison in Yamuna' remark political stunt of AAP to influence Delhi voters: Haryana CM

Chandigarh: AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's remark that the BJP is "mixing poison in the Yamuna" is a "political stunt" by the AAP aimed at influencing voters in the Delhi polls and deflecting attention from its own failures, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Tuesday.

He also alleged that the Delhi government has not taken any step to upgrade the Wazirabad water treatment plant in the national capital, according to an official statement here.

Saini said that the issue has been raised with the Election Commission.

The remarks made by Kejriwal is a "political stunt" by the Aam Aadmi Party aimed at influencing voters in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections and deflecting attention from its own failures, the chief minister said.

He said that ensuring a reliable water supply to the national capital is a collective responsibility, which Haryana is fulfilling diligently and without any shortcomings.

Taking on the AAP dispensation in Delhi, Saini said that in 2021, they filed a petition, to which the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) responded.

"The CPCB's reply highlighted the issue of ammonia in the Wazirabad pond and mentioned that there is a water treatment plant in Agra capable of treating water with ammonia levels up to 24 mg/l.

"However, the Delhi government has not taken any steps to upgrade the Wazirabad plant. As a result, the people of Delhi are still forced to consume contaminated water, while Arvind Kejriwal is now blaming Haryana to cover up his own failures," Saini said, as per the statement.

He said that the people of Haryana regard the holy Yamuna river as their mother.

"Yamuna is a life-giving resource for both Haryana and Delhi, and it is our collective responsibility to preserve its purity," he said.

Saini condemned the allegation made by Kejriwal, calling it an insult to the faith of Haryana and its people.

He further stated that Kejriwal's accusations are not only baseless but also disrespectful to Haryana's cultural traditions and beliefs.

He said that Delhi receives its drinking water supply of 1,049 cusecs at Munak from the waters of the Yamuna and Ravi-Beas rivers.

"Haryana is consistently supplying water to Delhi through two canals: the Carrier Line Channel (CLC) and the Delhi Branch. Since the commissioning of the Carrier Line Channel in 2014, Haryana has not supplied any water to Delhi through drains or directly from the Yamuna; instead, clean water is being supplied exclusively through the canal system of CLC and Delhi Branch," he said.

He further assured that the Haryana government is committed to ensuring the purity and continuous supply of water to Delhi.

Saini also said that between January 7 and 13, 2021, the CPCB tested the water from Yamunanagar (Haryana) to Wazirabad (Delhi) and investigated the primary causes of pollution.

"The investigation revealed that dirty water is being illegally discharged between Palla and Wazirabad. In addition, the accumulation of sediment in the Wazirabad pond is causing an increase in ammonia-nitrogen levels," he said.

"However, the Delhi government has not taken any action on the CPCB's report since 2021. Neither has the illegal discharge of polluted water between Palla and Wazirabad been halted, nor has any effort been made to clean the Wazirabad pond," Saini said.

The BJP leader also urged citizens to prioritize water conservation and use water resources judiciously.

The AAP on Monday accused the ruling BJP in Haryana of intentionally draining industrial waste into the Yamuna, with Kejriwal alleging that it is trying to kill people by "mixing poison" in the river.

After this, Saini on Monday also hit out at Kejriwal, saying it has become his habit to level baseless allegations and blame others.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi had on Monday alleged that the BJP is "deliberately disrupting" Delhi's water supply as a "historic loss" awaits the saffron party in the February 5 assembly polls in the national capital.

Kejriwal had alleged that the BJP is trying to keep the people of Delhi thirsty as it indulges in "dirty politics".

"BJP people in Haryana are mixing poison in the water and sending it to Delhi. If people in Delhi drink this water, many will die. Can anything be more disgusting than this?

"The poison that is being mixed in the water cannot even be cleaned in water treatment plants. For the safety of the people of Delhi, the water supply has to be stopped in many areas," Kejriwal had said in a post on X.