The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-run-governments in Delhi and Punjab have resorted to political blame games after they failed to prepare for the catastrophic floods in advance.
AAP supremo and Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal, has now blamed the Haryana government for putting the National Capital in such a perilous situation. As per reports, he has accused the BJP-ruled State of releasing water from the Hathnikund barrage and flooding Delhi.
On Wednesday (July 12), he wrote a letter to the Union Home Ministry and blamed the situation on the Haryana government instead of the incessant rain. Similar claims were made by AAP leader Atishi Marlena.
My letter to Union Home Minister on Yamuna flood levels… pic.twitter.com/dqDMLWuIfe
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 12, 2023
“It is a big question why all the water from Hathnikund Barrage was being released only for Delhi. Not a single drop of water was released into the canals going to UP and Haryana from there. Haryana will have to answer for this. Can the flood situation in Delhi have been avoided?” she hinted a larger conspiracy of the BJP govt.
In a statement, Devender Singh, the advisor (Irrigation) to Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, pointed out that the Hathinikund is a barrage and not a dam, which can be used to store water.
AAP blames Centre, Haryana govt for waterlogging in Punjab
Meanwhile, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann claimed that the Centre, through the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), was scheduled to release 20000 cusecs of water into the Sutlej River and the situation was averted only after the government’s objection.
Another Punjab Minister named Chetan Singh Jauramajra accused the Haryana government of being responsible for waterlogging in several villages of Punjab. He claimed that the Manohar Khattar-led-government failed to clean a siphon in the Ghaggar River on the Hansi-Butana canal stretch on time.
#WATCH | "AAP supremo (Arvind Kejriwal) and his party is lying and blaming others in order to run away from their responsibilities…Hathnikund Barrage's water cannot be stopped…CM Kejriwal is not fulfilling his responsibilities, their duty was to get the desilting and gate… https://t.co/L1ZL2pRnyM pic.twitter.com/s3VeHNx46t
— ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2023
“CM Kejriwal is not fulfilling his responsibilities, their duty was to get the desilting and gate check done which is a standard practice before monsoon. They did not do this and are now blaming the Haryana govt,” remarked Haryana Media Secretary, Praveen Attrey.
Delhi’s systems can’t handle this much rain: Arvind Kejriwal
Amidst the heavy rain that has wreaked havoc on the National Capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared to have surrendered to the situation.
On July 10, he conceded that Delhi’s systems could not withstand such unprecedented rain. Kejriwal claimed that the city received over 153 mm of rain on July 8 and July 9 this year and that the water level of the Yamuna river was not going to rise too much.
While speaking about the river crossing the danger-level mark, he said, “As per Central Water Commission, Yamuna river is flowing at 203.58 meters in Delhi. It is expected to reach 205.5 meters tomorrow morning. Also, according to weather predictions, the water level in Yamuna is not expected to rise too high.”
