‘Act of water terrorism’: Delhi CM Atishi writes to CEC; Arvind Kejriwal claims, ‘will not let people of Delhi die’

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has written to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), urging immediate intervention over the increasing ammonia levels in the Yamuna River, which she asserts are impacting the water supply in Delhi.

Also Read: AAP leader Atishi assures Yamuna river’s toxic foam to vanish in ’next two days’

What does the letter say?

In her letter, CM Atishi alleged the role of Haryana in the crisis, stating, “The facts enlisted in the note of the CEO of Delhi Jal Board make it clear that the DJB Water Treatment Plants are designed to treat ammonia only upto 1 ppm level.”

She added, “The note also points to the fact that the ammonia levels have steadily increased in the water coming from Haryana to Delhi via River Yamuna due to mixing of untreated sewage or industrial waste from Haryana, with levels rising over 7 ppm in the last two days i.e. 700% beyond the treatable limit.”

CM Atishi further noted in the letter, “These toxic levels of ammonia in water coming from Haryana have rendered Delhi’s water treatment plants almost incapable of treating the water effectively, resulting in curtailment of water supply by 15 to 20% i.e. for approximately 34 lakhs people of Delhi. It is a known fact that high ammonia levels in drinking water can lead to a public health crisis causing ailments such as kidney damage, respiratory distress and even long-term organ damage.”

Also Read: ‘Factually incorrect…misleading’: Delhi Jal Board CEO rebukes Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘poison in Yamuna’ claim

Atishi has described the situation as “an act of water terrorism,” accusing the Haryana Government of intentionally disrupting Delhi’s water supply to impact the upcoming elections.

“Despite knowing the toxic effects of releasing ammonia in raw water supply, the note of CEO of Delhi Jal Board leaves no doubt that it is due to the indiscriminate and deliberate dumping of untreated sewage and industrial waste from Haryana that is causing the present water supply crisis in Delhi. This is not an act of negligence; it is an act of water terrorism to deliberately impact the conduct of free and fair elections in Delhi,” she wrote in the letter.

Also Read: Delhi pollution: Toxic foam covers Yamuna in Kalindi Kunj as pollution level remains high in river | Watch video

She further requested an urgent meeting with the CEC to discuss the matter and ensure the elections are not compromised by external forces.

“I request you to give me time to meet you today itself regarding this urgent issue so that the elections in Delhi are not sabotaged by any external forces,” CM Atishi wrote.

AAP vs BJP: Here’s what leaders said

AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal said, “Atishi has again written a letter to the Election Commission today on the issue of water. The CEO of Delhi Jal Board confirmed yesterday that the water coming to Delhi is laced with a poison called ammonia. The Election Commission has given time to Bhagwant Mann and Atishi to meet at 4 pm today. Both will go. Saini Sahab (Haryana CM), don’t do politics on water. Don’t try to scare us that you will file a case. I will not let the people of Delhi die. Tell your party not to do dirty politics…”

Earlier, Haryana CM Nayab Saini had criticised the AAP for it allegations saying that the AAP had not manged water distrubtion and were trying to blame others.

Also Read: Swati Maliwal throws ‘polluted water’ outside CM Atishi’s residence: ‘Will Delhi drink this?, I will bring tanker if…’

“It is his (Arvind Kejriwal) nature and thinking to allege and then run away. There’s a saying, ‘thooko aur bhago (spit and run)’. This is what Kejriwal does. I said that you send your chief secretary and I will ask my chief secretary to check the quality of water at Sonipat from where it (Yamuna) is entering Delhi,” Saini said.