New Delhi, Dec 23: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal of being responsible for the worsening pollution in the Yamuna river, calling it the river’s “highest level of pollution this year.”
In a strongly worded letter, Saxena criticized Kejriwal for allegedly halting river cleaning efforts. “The Yamuna has reached its highest level of pollution this year. I will personally hold you responsible for this, since you had filed a petition in the Supreme Court and stopped the cleaning work being done in the Yamuna,” Saxena wrote.
The LG further accused Kejriwal of failing to take direct action, claiming the AAP convenor delegated responsibilities instead of personally assessing pollution hotspots. “Day before yesterday also I had requested you through my post on ‘X’ to visit Rangpuri and Kapashera, but you thought it appropriate to send your own declared temporary Chief Minister, Atishi there,” Saxena said.
Saxena took a sarcastic tone in his letter, noting that Kejriwal was addressing the city’s problems only after a decade. “After ten years, you have started seeing the worsening condition of Delhi and the plight and helplessness of the people. I assure you that I will continue to draw your attention to these issues in the future as well,” he wrote.
This is not the first time Saxena has targeted Kejriwal over Yamuna pollution. In October, Saxena shared images on social media of the river’s foam-covered surface, highlighting its deteriorating state ahead of the Chhath festival.
“Who is responsible for such a plight? Who had claimed to clean the Yamuna and announced to take a dip in it? Who got the Yamuna revival work, started last year on the orders of the National Green Tribunal, stopped by the court?” Saxena asked in an indirect attack on the AAP government.
The pollution in the Yamuna has been a recurring issue, with environmentalists urging consistent efforts to tackle industrial discharge and untreated sewage. The river remains critical to Delhi’s water supply and cultural practices.
