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Taking a boat ride along the Yamuna near Kalindi Kunj to point out “toxic foam” floating on the surface, BJP MPs Parvesh Verma and Manoj Tiwari Thursday hit out at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for failing to clean the river. Kejriwal hit back, asking the BJP to give an account of its 15 years in the MCD.
This comes ahead of Chhath Puja, which will be celebrated from October 28 to 31 this year.
Challenging the CM to take a dip in the Yamuna, Verma alleged that the AAP chief’s visit to Ghazipur landfill during the day was a ploy to divert attention from the issue of pollution in the river. “He (Kejriwal) says he has cleaned the Yamuna and will take a dip. I call on him to take a dip in the river two days from now… You can see toxic foam and lakhs of litres of industrial wastewater behind me. This is the truth of Kejriwal’s eight years of governance… Lakhs of Purvanchal sisters and brothers live here, how will they celebrate Chhath?… how can he (Kejriwal) force mothers and sisters to take a dip here?” he alleged.
To which, Kejriwal replied in a tweet, “The election of Yamuna cleanliness, schools, hospitals was over in 2020. The people of Delhi have given us five years to clean the Yamuna. The election of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is the election of Delhi’s cleanliness and garbage. BJP should not deviate from issues. Give an account of your 15 years.”
Tiwari, meanwhile, accused the Delhi government of spraying poisonous chemicals to remove the froth. To this, AAP spokesperson and DJB vice-chairman Saurabh Bhardwaj said it is absolutely stupid and incorrect to say that ‘a poisonous chemical’ is being used to suppress foam in Yamuna. “BJP leaders should learn something about science and technology. DJB’s anti-foaming chemical technology has also been recommended by the Centre’s NMCG,” he said.
The DJB had started preparations to reduce foaming in the Yamuna over a month ago for Chhath Puja to allow devotees offer prayers, according to a communication from the DJB. This involves the spraying of anti-surfactants.
Meanwhile, after a meeting with the divisional commissioner and all DMs to review preparedness for the festival, Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot said: “I have instructed them to make necessary arrangements at all ghats including Yamuna so that devotees don’t face problems. We are committed to organise an unprecedented Chhath Puja all over Delhi.
Officials said preparations involve arrangements for tents, chairs, tables, and electrical items such as lighting, sound system, CCTVs, LED screens, power backup at all puja sites. Kejriwal had earlier announced that the government will organise 1,100 sites for Chhath Puja this year with a budget of Rs 25 crore.
Chhath Puja is tied to politics in Delhi as it is one of the major festivals of the Purvanchalis, who constitute more than 30% of the city’s population. Last year, pictures and videos showing devotees offering prayers in the froth-filled Yamuna during the festival had triggered a political slugfest between the AAP and the BJP, prompting the Delhi government to take measures like installing bamboo nets and sprinkling water to dissipate froth.
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