Delhi CM Atishi raises alarm over 'extremely toxic' ammonia levels in Yamuna River

New Delhi: Ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections on February 5, Chief Minister Atishi raised alarms about "extremely toxic" ammonia levels in the Yamuna River, which she claimed were six times above normal.

She warned that such water could not be treated or supplied to Delhi residents without posing serious health risks. Atishi has again written to the Election Commission, requesting urgent intervention to prevent contaminated water from entering the city.

"Ammonia levels continue to be six times above normal in Yamuna waters at the point it is entering Delhi from Haryana. Such levels are extremely toxic for the human body. Have once again written to the Election Commission asking for their intervention to prevent this toxic water from coming to Delhi," Atishi took to X.

The issue took a sharp political turn on Monday, with AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal accusing the BJP-led Haryana government of deliberately contaminating Delhi's water supply. Kejriwal termed it "biological warfare" and alleged that "poison" was being mixed into the Yamuna, making the water untreatable at Delhi's treatment plants.

"If people in Delhi drink this water, many will die. Can anything be more disgusting than this? For the safety of the people of Delhi, the water supply has to be stopped in many areas," Kejriwal said in a post on X. He accused the BJP of planning "mass murder" but vowed that the AAP would not allow it to happen.

However, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) CEO Shilpa Shinde dismissed Kejriwal's claims as "factually incorrect" and "misleading." In a letter to Delhi Chief Secretary Dharmendra, Shinde emphasised the need to avoid making statements that could harm interstate relations and public confidence.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini also rejected the allegations, calling them baseless. "The AAP government has a habit of blaming others for its own shortcomings," Saini said, adding that Kejriwal should apologise for his remarks or face a defamation suit.

"People of Haryana consider Yamuna a holy river and worship it. Why would they mix poison in the river?" Saini said in a statement late Monday.

The issue of Yamuna's water quality has emerged as a key topic of contention as Delhi faces water shortages in some areas due to reduced treatment capacity at DJB plants. With elections nearing, the political blame game between the AAP and BJP is intensifying.