Delhi: After LG raises issue of contaminated water, Saurabh Bhardwaj blames illegal Yamuna sand mining in Haryana

New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): After Delhi LG VK Saxena raised concern over contaminated water being supplied to the people of national capital, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Chairman and Water Minister of Delhi Saurabh Bhardwaj asked the Delhi LG to take cognisance of illegal sand mining in Haryana.
On Saturday, Delhi LG VK Saxena raised concern about the situation of the Wazirabad Water treatement Plant (WTP) and wrote a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The LG has said that contaminated water is being supplied to the people of Delhi and we are playing with the health and life of the people of Delhi.
Upon this, the DJB Chairman apprised the LG of how illegal sand mining in Haryana has been blocking the supply of Yamuna water towards Delhi and Haryana is instead releasing industrial wastewater towards Delhi.
Saurabh Bhardwaj further invited the LG on a joint inspection of illegal Sand Mining blocks in Haryana, stating, "People of Delhi feel extremely sad that LG is playing dirty politics over the sensitive issue of water supply in Delhi. Either he is unaware of the facts or he is deliberately doing cheap politics."
Saurabh Bhardwaj said, "The issue raised by him is due to the inefficiency and inaction of the Haryana Government because of which the people of Delhi are suffering. LG is trying to pass the buck of BJP ruled Haryana Government's fault on Delhi Government."
While serving as the DJB VC Saurabh Bhardwaj last week, had visited Wazirabad WTP and pond along with media persons to show the reduced level of water in the Wazirabad pond.
He said, "To achieve full production from Wazirabad and Chandrawal WTP, the Wazirabad pond level should be 674.5 feet. From last few weeks, Wazirabad pond level has touched the bottom level of the pond at 671.4 feet."
"This has adversely affected the production of WTPs at Chandrawal and Wazirabad. The latest production of Chandrawal is 90 MGD against the normal production of 100 MGD while Wazirabad is producing 90 MGD against the usual production of 135 MGD. This shortage has impacted water supply in all over Delhi as raw water is being diverted from other shares of WTPs like Haiderpur, Dwarka, Nangloi and Okhla," he added.
"Only water received in the Wazirabad pond is toxic industrial waste from Drain number 2 and Drain Number 8. To divert attention from the real issue of mining and deliberate release of contamination by Haryana, distractions are being created by the Haryana Government and office of LG," he emphasized.
Bhardwaj said, "Visit of LG is a welcome step but being a Nominee of the same political party's Central Government, it is requested that matters should be taken up with BJP run Haryana Government by him. His help is also required to increase the allocation of water for the share of Delhi from Hathnikund and Tajewala as the population of Delhi has increased 2.5 times since the last allocation. Currently, Delhi is getting based on allocation done by the Central government in 1995-1996. Delhi Jal Board has already made several requests to the Central govt to increase the allocation of Delhi being the capital of India."
"Delhi is the Capital of India and due to this crisis areas, prominent areas including areas of VVIPs like NDMC, Parliament, and even the President House are severely affected. People of Delhi have to even curtain the use of Holi which has severely affected their religious sentiments as well. This is a matter of shame that politics is done on this crucial of water. As constitutional post holders, it is our joint responsibility to ensure the delivery of clean water to the public of Delhi. Delhi Government hence proposes to have a joint visit of the complete stretch of Yamuna from Delhi Border to Tajewala Along with LG and CM of Haryana to show specific evidence of mining of pollution dumping," he added.
Notably, Delhi Jal Board has been producing more than 990 MGD of water consistently over the last many months.
However, since February 23, the flow has been stopped and ammonia levels have spiked very high thereby production has been declining consistently.
The LG has been requested to take up the matter on priority with the Haryana Government, UVRY and the Minister of Jal Shakti. (ANI)