- विज्ञापन -
On November 6, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit criticized former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the worsening pollution in the Yamuna River, highlighting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s failure to address the issue. With Chhath Puja celebrations beginning on Tuesday, many devotees gathered along the river to pray and perform holy baths. However, they were met with an alarming sight of toxic foam littering the river, emphasizing the ongoing pollution challenges in the city.
In an interview with IANS, Dikshit stated, “The current state of Yamuna is unprecedented. I don’t recall it being this bad in the last 50-60 years… especially under the management of the last eight years. I believe this is a failure of both the Delhi government and the Government of India.”
He placed the blame squarely on Kejriwal, noting that the latter had initially vowed to clean the river and even take a dip in its waters. “Kejriwal is all about false promises. Reports indicate that the Kejriwal government has spent Rs 3,500 crore on Yamuna’s cleanup, yet there has been no noticeable improvement,” he remarked.
Dikshit went on to argue that the Delhi government has not approved essential sewage interceptors for the river. He explained that major drains from Delhi that release waste into the Yamuna are responsible for its poor condition. He recalled that while Congress was in power, there were plans to install these interceptors, which function like kidneys by filtering out dirty water. In contrast, he accused the Kejriwal administration of neglecting this issue for the past decade and being occupied with corruption. He also mentioned that certain illegal factories in Delhi are discharging untreated waste directly into the river.
The Yamuna River has become notorious for the thick layer of white foam that appears annually, raising significant health concerns among residents. Additionally, the Delhi High Court has recently rejected a public interest petition requesting permission for public Chhath Puja celebrations at the Geeta Colony Ghats along the Yamuna banks.
