Terming AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal’s statement as ‘factually incorrect’ without any basis and misleading about ammonia levels in water supply from Haryana side to the national capital, Delhi Jal Board (DJB)’s Chief Executive Officer Shilpa Shinde has written to Chief Secretary Dharmendra and said the matter is being brought to your attention, given the fact that such false statements lead to fear mongering amongst city residents and also adversely impact relations with the upper riparian state of Haryana.
“Given that this matter is likely to affect inter-state relations, these facts may be brought to the attention of Lieutenant Governor in terms of the Transaction of Business Rules,” Shinde said in her noting. DJB chief said Arvind Kejriwal’s allegations are factually incorrect, without any basis and misleading and asked the Chief Secretary to bring the matter to Lieutenant Governor’s attention. The chief secretary has sent DJB CEO’s note to Lieutenant Governor. DJB chief said the fact of the matter is that DJB regularly monitors incoming water quality and regulates supplies depending on the various parameters.
Earlier, Kejriwal accused the BJP-led Haryana government of "poisoning" the Yamuna river water, which supplies drinking water to the national capital. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is now said to have sought a factual report from the Nayab Singh Saini-led government in Haryana on the matter.
The controversy erupted after Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann moved the EC on Monday, alleging high ammonia levels in the water supplied from Haryana to Delhi, impacting the water supply during the ongoing assembly election process. Sources said the ECI has directed the Haryana government to submit a factual report by noon on Tuesday.
Terming it as water terrorism, Atishi claimed 30% of the Delhi residents are at risk of water shortage because of the high ammonia content in Yamuna water.
Accusing the BJP of indulging in "dirty politics", Kejriwal said those associated with the party are sending "poison-mixed" water to Delhi to trigger a "chaos" and blame the AAP for the deaths of people. Such actions, like use of biological weapons and mixing poison in rivers, have been heard in case of countries involved in a war, he added.
Hitting back at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said it is their old habit of blaming others and then running away."I asked them (the AAP government in Delhi) to send their chief secretary and said I will ask my chief secretary to check the quality of the water.... They are talking about ammonia, but there is no shortage of water," Saini said.
"Haryana supplies water to Delhi from Sonipat, which can be inspected by anyone to see what kind of water we are supplying to Delhi," he said. "He (Kejriwal) talked of giving free water... However, despite (AAP) being in power for the last 10 years, Kejriwal has failed to improve Delhi's water distribution system. People of the national capital are forced to consume unclean water because Kejriwal failed to develop a system," he said.
Kejriwal 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," he said in a post in Hindi on X.
In her note, DJB chief stated that in every Winter season, ammonia in river Yamuna increases during October to February. DJB Water Treatment Plants are designed to treat the anmmonia upto 1 ppm. Ammonia upto 2 to 2.5 ppm is also being treated at Water Treatment Plants by dilution of the high ammonia water with the water received from Carrier Line Channel/ Delhi Sub Branch (CLC/DSB). The ammonia increases in river Yamuna due to mixing of some untreated sewage or industrial waste at the upstream of Wazirabad Barrage.
During winters, after monsoon season, the flow in river Yamuna decreases and untreated sewage released in river Yamuna does not get diluted adequately, resulting into increase in ammonia concentration in Yamuna river. This year also, the ammonia started increasing from October month. Haryana officials have taken up a work to lay the pipeline at DD-6 in compliance to Hon ble NGT orders so that the untreated sewage of DD-6 should not mixed up with DD-8.
“Presently, the ammonia is around 6.5 ppm in river Yamuna at Wazirabad pond. Despite, dilution with CLC and DSB water, DJB Water Treatment Plants at Wazirabad and Chandrawal could not be operated on full capacity. Presently, the production is curtailed around 15 to 20% at Wazirabad and Chandrawal WTP. The samples were checked at upstream of Wazirabad pond and a downward trend seen in the ammonia at upstream”.
“It is expected that the ammonia level wil1 be reduced at Wazirabad pond in next few days. Once the ammonia level reduced, the production shall be normalized in due course of time. Such curtailments of supplies at various plants have been routinely undertaken in the past for long,” reads the DJB note.
