Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met the Chief Election Commissioner on Tuesday, alleging that the BJP-ruled Haryana government is supplying toxic water to Delhi, and urged the poll panel to form a joint team of engineers from both states and EC representatives to investigate the matter related to rising ammonia levels in the river.
She emphasized that water is a critical and sensitive issue, and said the EC has assured action in the interest of Delhiites.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Mann condemned attempts to politicize water, calling it unacceptable to link such a basic necessity to electoral gains.
Following the meeting with the EC, Atishi stated, “Earlier today, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and I had a meeting with the Election Commission. We had a detailed discussion on the issue of water in Delhi. We informed the Election Commission about how the water coming from Haryana into the Yamuna has reached ammonia levels that have crossed toxic limits.”
She further said, “Delhi’s water treatment plants can treat ammonia levels up to 1 PPM or 2 PPM. However, over the past few days, the ammonia levels have consistently risen to 4, 5, 6, and even 7 PPM. Ammonia at 7 PPM means poisonous water,” she added.
“They have promised us that they will take a decision in the interest of Delhi’s people after hearing Haryana’s side,” shared the CM.
She also said, “The statement of the Haryana CM exposes his own falsehoods. On one hand, he claims this is not a new issue and that ammonia has been a persistent problem, while on the other, he accuses us of lying. How can both statements coexist? Either ammonia is present, or it isn’t—this is not a matter of opinion but of factual data,” she added.
She further claimed that the letter written by the DJB CEO clearly shows that Delhi’s water treatment plants can treat ammonia levels up to 1 PPM or 2 PPM. However, the data from the last few days, ammonia levels have been recorded at 5.5, 5.6, 5.8, 6.4, 6.8, and even 7.2, as per figures provided by the DJB CEO, Atishi added.
The Delhi CM further stated, “I would urge the Haryana Chief Minister—and we have already communicated this to the Election Commission as well—to form a joint team comprising engineers from both Haryana and Delhi, along with representatives from the Election Commission. Let us measure ammonia levels at every point, from where Haryana releases the water to the entry points in Delhi at Wazirabad and Palla.”
Meanwhile, Punjab CM said this issue is also connected to Punjab, as water flows into Haryana from Punjab, from where the water supply to Haryana has never reduced.
He said, however, if polluted water is reaching Wazirabad, the Election Commission has assured that it will test the water to determine ammonia levels at the point where Haryana releases it and compare it to the levels when it reaches Delhi.
Punjab CM said, “The main opposition party in Delhi, BJP, should not politicize this matter or use it as an election issue. Everyone deserves a level playing field,” he added.
