Kejriwal can't escape sin of disrespecting people's faith: Gajendra Shekhawat on Yamuna pollution

BJP leader and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the pollution in the Yamuna river and said he cannot escape the "sin of disrespecting the faith of the people".

AAP leader Raghav Chadha hit back, accusing the Union minister of being "interested in making political statements" on the issue "rather than bothering to call a meeting between Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to understand the real problem and find a solution".

"His (Shekhawat's) statement reflects the tendency of the Narendra Modi government to hide their own failures and non-performance by making mere allegations," Chadha said.

Pictures and videos showing devotees offering prayers in the Yamuna on the occasion of Chhath Puja on Monday with toxic foam floating on the surface of the river have triggered a political slugfest between the ruling AAP and the BJP in Delhi.

Also Read | Bathing in Yamuna's toxic foam may lead to skin ailments: Experts

While the BJP alleged the AAP government did not allow Chhath celebrations on the Yamuna banks to hide the "pathetic" state of the river, the AAP's Gopal Rai and Raghav Chadha have blamed the governments in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for the frothing in the river.

On Tuesday, Shekhawat said, "Both Kejriwal and the Delhi government are running away from their responsibility of cleaning the Yamuna river. It is unfortunate that rather than cleaning the river, they are asking women not to celebrate Chhath (on its banks). Kejriwal is disrespecting the voters of Delhi."

Responding to the AAP government's allegation that polluted water flows into the Yamuna river from other states, the Union Jal Shakti minister said it was a misrepresentation of facts.

"Kejriwal should rise to the challenge and not indulge in futile blame-shifting."

"It is unfortunate and painful that at the time of the Chhath festival the Yamuna is polluted. Kejriwal cannot run escape from this sin of disrespecting the faith of the people," he said.

Also Read | Delhi Minister Gopal Rai blames Haryana for frothing in Yamuna

Referring to the financial aid given to the Delhi government under the 'Namami Gange' programme to tackle pollution in the Yamuna, Shekhawat said the assistance has gone towards 13 sewage treatment projects of about 1385 million litres per day capacity involving an investment of Rs 2,419 crore.

Instead of working towards completing these projects, the Delhi government, unfortunately, has misplaced priorities, he claimed.

In response to the criticism, Chadha said, "It is a fact that the Okhla barrage, which witnesses foaming in Yamuna river every year, is being maintained by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department. It is shocking that the Union Minister did not know this before deciding to blame the Delhi government for it.

"It is also a fact that the Delhi Jal Board has written to the Uttar Pradesh government several times highlighting the large amounts of decomposing water hyacinths at Okhla barrage that it has failed clearing, which is one of the causes for foaming."

Chadha, the vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board, claimed the Central Pollution Control Board in its report to the Yamuna Monitoring Committee has admitted that around 150 MGD of flow is being discharged by Uttar Pradesh and Haryana into the stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi.

This is another major factor behind foaming. In the past, directions have been given to them by the NGT to install sewage treatment plants (STPs) so that no untreated sewage is discharged in Delhi drains/river Yamuna. Unfortunately, no concrete action plan is implemented by both states so far, he said.

"On the other hand, the installed capacity of STPs in Delhi is about 597 MGD with the utilisation of about 90 per cent, which is highest in any city in India and dully accepted by National Mission for Clean Ganga.

"Moreover installed capacity of STPs is going to increase up to 707 MGD by December 2022 and YAP-III funded STPs like Kondli, Rithala, Okhla, Coronation Pillar STPs are in advance stage of completion and work is going on in full swing. Delhi is doing it best inspite of various constraints of land and funds," Chadha said.

The 22-kilometre stretch of the Yamuna between Wazirabad and Okhla, which is less than 2 per cent of its length of 1,370 kilometres from Yamunotri to Allahabad, accounts for around 80 per cent of the pollution load in the river.

The presence of phosphates and surfactants in untreated sewage from Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh is a major reason behind frothing in the river, according to experts.

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