Political blame game erupts as toxic ammonia levels in Yamuna spark crisis and residents are supplied with unpotable water

As images of a frothy Yamuna flooded the media, Delhiites were shocked and alarmed. Pollution levels in the river have soared beyond what anyone could have imagined. This has disrupted the Delhi water supply and Delhiites are forced to consume polluted water. Delhi is in the grips of a severe water crisis as elevated ammonia levels in the Yamuna River disrupt water supply across the capital. With water treatment plants at Sonia Vihar and Bhagirathi struggling to manage the contamination, residents face widespread shortages. The AAP and BJP have engaged in a heated blame game, with the AAP accusing the BJP-led Haryana government of neglecting pollution controls upstream, while the BJP criticizes Delhi’s administration for failing to bolster treatment facilities. As political tensions rise, Delhiites are left hoping for swift, actionable solutions to restore their water supply. The ammonia levels in the Yamuna have surged to nearly 0.9 parts per million (ppm), far exceeding the safe limit of 0.5 ppm required for effective treatment. This spike is severely affecting the functionality of the Sonia Vihar and Bhagirathi water treatment plants (WTPs), which play a pivotal role in providing clean water to the city. When the Upper Ganga Canal—Delhi’s primary source of clean water—is closed for annual maintenance, as it was from October 12 to 31, the city becomes increasingly reliant on the Yamuna, compounding the water scarcity problem.  Amid mounting public dissatisfaction, the political sparring has escalated.

The AAP has blamed the BJP-led Haryana government, accusing it of being ‘hostile’ towards Delhi’s interests by failing to curb the industrial waste entering the Yamuna. AAP officials claim that Haryana’s callous attitude has left Delhi residents without a reliable water supply, with no proactive steps being taken to control the pollutants entering the river. On the other hand, the BJP’s Delhi unit responded by holding AAP accountable for the water crisis, criticising the Kejriwal administration for what they call “mismanagement.” They say that the AAP government has failed in two major areas: maintaining operational sewage treatment plants and equipping existing WTPs, such as those at Sonia Vihar and Dwarka, with the capacity to handle ammonia contamination. Indeed it is a classic case of passing the buck and Delhi has had enough of it. Rather than blaming each other both Delhi and Haryana government would do well to mitigate this disaster. The Yamuna water is coming from Haryana so no two opinions about where the source of contamination is but AAP should have managed the situaiton well as it new well in advance that Uppar Ganga Canal would be closed for the maintenance till October 31. Right now water remains the biggest concern for Delhi. Yamuna is no better than a drain. Apart from being visually appalling it is a health hazard and the water being supplied is not fit for bathing let alone drinking.  But is anybody listening?