Calling the allegation of poisoning Yamuna water made by Arwind Kejriwal against his government a political stunt, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Tuesday that the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP), through such statements, aims to influence voters in the wake of the Delhi Assembly elections in Delhi and deflect the attention of the people from its failures.

Stating that the issue has been raised with the Election Commission, the chief minister said ensuring reliable water supply to the national capital is a collective responsibility and that Haryana is fulfilling it diligently without any shortcomings.

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Alleging failure of the Delhi government in this regard, he pointed out that in 2021, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) responded to a petition filed by Delhi. In its reply, the CPCB highlighted the issue of ammonia nitrogen in the Wazirabad pond and mentioned a water treatment plant in Agra capable of treating water with ammonia levels up to 24 mg/l. However, the people of Delhi are forced to consume contaminated water as the Delhi government has not taken any steps to upgrade the Wazirabad plant and now Arvind Kejriwal has chosen to blame Haryana to cover up his own failures, he was quoted as saying in a statement.

Saini said the people of Haryana regard Yamuna as their mother. Since the river is a lifeline for both Haryana and Delhi, it is our collective responsibility to preserve its purity.

He condemned the allegation made by the former Delhi chief minister, calling it an insult to the faith of Haryana and its people who worship the Yamuna as a sacred river.

He further said that Kejriwal’s accusations are not only baseless but also disrespectful to Haryana’s cultural traditions and beliefs.

He said Delhi receives its share of drinking water of 1,049 cusecs at Munak from the waters of the Yamuna and Ravi-Beas rivers. Haryana is consistently supplying water to Delhi through two canals: the Carrier Line Channel (CLC) and the Delhi Branch.

Since the commissioning of the Carrier Line Channel in 2014, Haryana has not supplied any water to Delhi through drains or directly from the Yamuna River; instead, clean water is being supplied exclusively through the canal system of CLC and Delhi Branch.

He reiterated Haryana government’s commitment to ensuring the purity and continuous supply of water to Delhi.

The chief minister informed that between January 7 and 13, 2021, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) tested the water from Yamunanagar (Haryana) to Wazirabad (Delhi) and investigated the primary causes of pollution. The investigation revealed that dirty water is being illegally discharged between Palla and Wazirabad. In addition, the accumulation of sediment in the Wazirabad pond is causing an increase in ammonia nitrogen levels, he said.

However, the Delhi government has not taken any action on the CPCB’s report since 2021. Neither has the illegal discharge of polluted water between Palla and Wazirabad been halted, nor has any effort been made to clean the Wazirabad pond, he added.

He urged the citizens to prioritise water conservation and use water resources judiciously, adding that saving water is crucial not only for the present but also for the well-being of future generations.