New Delhi: Amid allegations and counter allegations between the ruling AAP and BJP over the rising pollution levels in river Yamuna, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Tuesday again wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar asking for the central poll panel's intervention into the matter.
The letter by the Delhi CM comes in the backdrop of the Delhi Jal Board's rebuttal to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's allegation that the Haryana government has released "poison" into the Yamuna River.
"Ammonia levels continue to be 6 times above normal in Yamuna waters, at the point it is entering Delhi from Haryana. Such levels are extremely toxic for the human body. This water cannot be treated and supplied to people of Delhi. Otherwise their lives will be at risk. Have once again written to the Election Commission asking for their intervention, to prevent this toxic water from coming to Delhi. Have also asked for an urgent appointment for the same," Atishi said in a post on X while sharing a copy of the letter to EC.
Ammonia levels continue to be 6 times above normal in Yamuna waters, at the point it is entering Delhi from Haryana. Such levels are extremely toxic for the human body. This water cannot be treated and supplied to people of Delhi. Otherwise their lives will be at risk.
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) January 28, 2025
Have… pic.twitter.com/ZpA5jKPNIp
In her letter, Atishi has made reference to a note submitted on 27 January by the CEO of Delhi Jal Board to Delhi Chief Secretary on the matter.
The Delhi CM said that 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”.
“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,” she said.
“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,” added the Delhi CM.
She said 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.
“Despite knowing the toxic effects of releasing ammonia in raw water supply, the note of the 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,” reads the Delhi CM's letter to the EC.
Atishi demanded an urgent intervention into the matter “so that either only pure raw water without Ammonia is released from Haryana into Delhi or additional pure raw water is released so that Ammonia levels can be diluted”.
“I further 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”.
She also referred to her earlier letter to the ECI dated 27 January “highlighting the deliberate attempt by the Government of Haryana to sabotage the water supply of the people of Delhi in an attempt to influence the conduct of free and fair elections in Delhi”.
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