Holding Arving Kejriwal Government responsible for Delhi’s flood, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri alleged the Yamuna has not been cleaned for the past eight years, leading to a silt buildup of over 6 feet. The silt can be observed by inspecting the pillars of the bridges or flyovers built over the Yamuna.

Bidhuri further accused the Kejriwal government for non- payment of Rs 47 lakh to Haryana’s Irrigation and Flood Control department which maintains ITO barrage.  The BJP leader further alleged that the Delhi government had stopped payment of electricity to ITO Barrage, leading to the disconnection of the same on August 9, 2022, by the BSES.

Addressing a press conference, Bidhuri said the river Yamuna has not been cleaned for the past eight years leading to a silt buildup of over 6 feet.  “This is further substantiated by the fact that in 1978, around 7,09,000 cusecs of water were released into the Yamuna, resulting in a record water level of 205.49 meters.

However, in 2023, the water level rose to 208.67 meters with the release of only 3,59,000 cusecs of water. Before this, in 2013, 8,06,000 cusecs of water were released, but the water level remained lower than that of 1978,” he said.

He said the cause of the recent flood in the Yamuna was the ITO Yamuna Barrage. “Although the maintenance of these barrages is carried out by the Haryana government and the expenses are borne by the Delhi government.

Surprisingly, the Delhi government discontinued paying for the maintenance in 2018. Instead of resolving the issue of maintenance, the Delhi Government now blames Haryana, even though Haryana Government requested to clear the payment of Rs. 47,83,504 as outstanding dues for operation and maintenance in a letter dated July 26, 2022. However, the Delhi government did not make the payment,” he said.  Bidhuri said the Delhi government also stopped paying for the electricity connection to the ITO Yamuna Barrage, leading to the disconnection of the same on August 9, 2022, by the BSES. The AAP government had denied the allegations saying the  thermal power plants had an agreement of using water from ITO barrage and giving them some money to Haryana Govt. But these thermal plants got decommissioned in 2009 and they had no reason to pay any money.

“The IPGCL also stopped using water from ITO barrage , instead was using water from Delhi Gate STP of DJB. Haryana Government knows all these facts and they have been informed about this 4 years back in 2019.They have been written letters by Delhi Govt in 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022 many times to hand over this ITO barrage to Delhi Govt.

But Haryana Govt doesn’t want to maintain it , doesn’t want to hand over it to Delhi Government,” the AAP said.