Chief Minister Atishi accused the BJP of a conspiracy to increase water and air pollution in Delhi with the help of its governments in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh

She said the BJP-ruled states are deliberately releasing industrial waste into Yamuna while abdicating their duty to keep a check on stubble burning.

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The Delhi CM alleged that the Haryana government is wantonly releasing untreated industrial waste into Yamuna through the DD-2 and DD-8 drains leading to unprecedented levels of water pollution in the river.

The DD-2 and DD-8 drains flow into the Yamuna before they enter into Delhi.

As for Uttar Pradesh’s role in rising pollution in Delhi, she alleged that the state too releases untreated industrial effluents into Yamuna at the Kalindi Kunj barrage leading to the formation of toxic foam on the surface of the river.

The CM, who conducted a surprise inspection of the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant on Wednesday, claimed that the level of ammonia at the barrage was found to be very high. Last evening it was 3 ppm (parts per million), which means that water cannot be processed at treatment plants.

Speaking to reporters, Atishi has said that water production has been affected by up to 40 per cent at the three treatment plants including Wazirabad, Sonia Vihar, and Bhageerathi and it would take around 24 hours to restore them.

Elaborating further on the increase in ammonia at Sonia Vihar and Bhageerathi plants, she said in the month of October these plants had to take water from Yamuna as the water coming from the upper Ganga canal was stopped for maintenance for three weeks.

On the spike in the city’s air pollution, Atishi alleged that the increase in the incidence of stubble burning in UP and Haryana added to the national capital’s air quality woes.

In Haryana, the stubble burning has increased by 23 per cent and by 70 per cent in UP, she claimed.

Talking of the crop residue burning in Punjab, Delhi CM claimed that in 2021-2023, Punjab halved stubble burning, and it has further reduced in the state.

Come what may, the Delhi government under the guidance of Arvind Kejriwal would find solutions to the problems and ensure relief to the people, the CM assured. “We are contemplating all efforts to bring down the city’s air pollution,” she added.