“Water Terrorism…”: Atishi Blames Haryana for Allegedly Contaminating Delhi’s Water Supply; Urges ECI to Intervene

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Tuesday accused Haryana of "water terrorism" by “deliberately” contaminating the capital’s water supply. In a letter to the Election Commission of India, Atishi escalated her claims, alleging that toxic substances are being dumped into the Yamuna River, which provides water to Delhi. She stated that the contamination has rendered the river untreatable and called for the Election Commission’s intervention.

The AAP government has continued to assert that the water contamination is a deliberate act. Atishi warned that the rising ammonia levels in the water supply were creating a public health crisis and disrupting the city's water supply, affecting millions of residents. She urged the Election Commission to intervene to ensure the upcoming elections are not influenced by this issue.

In her letter, Atishi referred to her earlier communication sent on January 27, 2025, which detailed the Haryana government's role in contaminating Delhi's water. She enclosed a note from the CEO of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) that highlights how the water treatment plants are designed to handle ammonia levels only up to 1 part per million (ppm). However, the ammonia levels in the water have surged beyond this limit, making treatment almost impossible.

“The ammonia levels have steadily increased in the water coming from Haryana to Delhi via the Yamuna, with levels rising over 7 ppm in the last two days—700% above the treatable limit,” Atishi wrote. She explained that this increase in ammonia is likely caused by the mixing of untreated sewage or industrial waste from Haryana, making the water unfit for treatment and forcing the DJB to reduce the water supply by 15 to 20%, affecting nearly 34 lakh people in Delhi.

Atishi further stressed the health risks posed by the contamination, pointing out that high ammonia levels in drinking water can cause severe health problems, including kidney damage, respiratory distress, and long-term organ damage. She called the situation a deliberate act of “water terrorism” by Haryana.

“Despite knowing the toxic effects of releasing ammonia into raw water supply, it is clear from the note of the CEO of the Delhi Jal Board that it is the unchecked dumping of untreated sewage and industrial waste from Haryana that is causing the current crisis,” Atishi stated. “This is not a case of negligence; it is an act of water terrorism designed to disrupt the free and fair conduct of elections in Delhi,” she added.

AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal also weighed in, accusing the BJP of using dirty politics to keep the people of Delhi thirsty. “Nothing could be more disgusting than this,” Kejriwal said, condemning the situation.​