Cong slams Kejriwal for deserting Yamuna cleaning project midway

New Delhi

On Friday, the Delhi Congress launched a scathing attack on former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of halting the construction of master drains along the Yamuna River, which were supposed to divert untreated sewage to treatment plants in Vrindavan.

Harish Rawat, the former Union Water Resources Minister, termed this as “criminal negligence” and blamed both the Kejriwal government and the Central government for the deteriorating state of the river. He criticized Kejriwal for shifting the blame for the river's pollution to others while doing little to address the problem.

Rawat explained that during his tenure, a plan was devised to construct master drains along a 22-km stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi, with 27 drains being diverted into the system. However, the project was halted after Congress left power. Rawat emphasized that the master drains would have been linked to treatment plants, allowing treated water to flow into the Yamuna near Vrindavan.

He also expressed concern about the rising ammonia levels in the Yamuna, which are now 30 times above the permissible limit, and criticized the AAP government for its indifference. Rawat also pledged that the Congress would tackle the growing garbage issues in Delhi, citing a recent report that showed a 3.5% loss in the city’s green cover.

Earlier, the Indian Youth Congress protested outside Kejriwal’s residence demanding action on the pollution issue.