Yamuna flow boosted ahead of Chhath; AAP, BJP trade charges

 
The Hindu Bureau 

As the Yamuna’s water level in Delhi rises ahead of Chhath Puja, which will be celebrated from October 25-28, a fresh political row has erupted between the Opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over Haryana’s decision to divert nearly all water from the Hathnikund Barrage towards the river.

According to Central Water Commission (CWC) data, since October 21 morning, water released into the Western and Eastern Yamuna Canals, primarily used for irrigation in Uttar Pradesh, has dropped to almost zero, while nearly the entire flow has been directed towards the Yamuna’s Delhi stretch. Officials say this move will dilute pollutants and temporarily improve the river’s water quality.

A Delhi government official confirmed that the increased flow had already begun to improve water quality. “Due to earlier floods and the current release, the Yamuna’s condition will continue to improve over the next few days,” the official said, describing it as an “unprecedented” step.

‘Temporary illusion’

Terming the move a “temporary illusion” to showcase a cleaner Yamuna during Chhath Puja celebrations, AAP’s Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP-led Haryana government of sacrificing farmers’ interests for optics. “At Hathnikund Barrage, the BJP government has brought the flow of the Eastern Canal, meant for Uttar Pradesh farmers, to zero. The Yamuna is overflowing, but fields in U.P. are drying up,” Mr. Bharadwaj said. He alleged that the BJP was using “extra canal water and defoaming sprays” to make the river appear clean, calling it a “political conspiracy”.

Dirty drain

Countering the charge, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the AAP government had turned the Yamuna into a “dirty drain”. “On October 25, 2024, I took a dip in the Yamuna at ITO and had to be hospitalised due to its filth. Today, under Rekha Gupta’s government, the river has been cleaned within eight months,” he claimed. Mr. Sachdeva added that BJP spokesperson Anil Gupta performed aachman (ritual sipping) of the Yamuna water on Thursday, and declared it was safe. “Whether it is Yamuna Maiya or Chhath Maiya, AAP committed corruption in their names, and that is why they are no longer in power,” he said.

Bhim Singh Rawat, associate coordinator at the South Asia Networks on Dams, Rivers and People, said, “The release of water into the river is a welcome move, but the government should find a way to increase the flow in the Yamuna throughout the year to revive the river.”