Delhi LG writes to CM Kejriwal, flags miserable hygiene condition at Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant
Mar 11, 2023
New Delhi [India], March 11 : Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena on Saturday wrote to the city Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal raising his concern over the "miserable hygiene" and sanitary conditions at Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant, that supplies drinking water to large parts of the national capital.
This comes after the L-G visited the facility on Saturday and expressed his concern over the worsening condition of the plant.
In his letter, LG Saxena also flagged gross inaction on part of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in cleaning and desilting the pond reservoir behind the Wazirabad barrage, which supplies water to Wazirabad and Chandrawal Water Treatment Plants.
Further, he also said that concerned officials must be punished for this gross negligence.
In his letter written to Kejriwal, no desiltation took place of the pond in the last 8 years.
"Despite a desilting contract being in place since 2013, no desiltation took place resulting in the depth of the pond reducing from 4.26 metres to a mere 0.42 metres during the last 8 years," it said.
The letter also said that according to the information, the pond had the capacity to hold 250 million gallons of water, but it has now reduced by due to siltation by 93 per cent and can now hold only 16 million gallons.
"Frequent water shortage in the city including the one that recently took place before Holi, on account of Wazirabad and Chandrawal WTPs not being operational fully, is solely due to this reason and not because of Haryana -- excuses that AAP makes to fool the people," the letter read.
It further said that It would also be in the interest of public hygiene and safety to take note of and immediately rectify the situation of plant and machinery and practices at the Wazirabad WTP.
LG in his letter to CM asked what kind of water is being supplied to the people of Delhi.
"What is its quality and is it really potable? Aren't we playing with the health and life of the people of Delhi by supplying them with contaminated water? Is this justified in the National Capital of the country? Can Delhi afford to lose out on 9,12,500 million gallons of water only because DJB did not desilt/clean its storage ponds?" LG Saxena asked through his letter.
