New Delhi, Aug 4 (SocialNews.XYZ) Delhi Jal Board vice-chairman and senior AAP leader Somnath Bharti wants to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections provided his party allows him to. In an exclusive interview with IANS, he says that he wants to make the Yamuna river banks look like Mumbai's beaches.
Bharti spoke on various issues. He mentioned that by 2024, they aim to make the Yamuna banks resemble the beaches of Mumbai. He expressed his willingness to contest the Lok Sabha elections if his party desires, but currently, there have been no discussions regarding seat allocation between the Congress and the AAP. Bharti stated that he doesn't care if the BJP leaders call him 'Tihari Somnath' and remains focused on his work. On the Delhi ordinance bill, he criticized it as being totally against the Constitution. He emphasized that the DJB is the lifeline of Delhi, ensuring timely water supply for drinking and other purposes to Delhiites.
Bharti said that water treatment plants would play a crucial role in providing clean water and also in cleaning the sewage system. He said that treated effluent water could be used for agricultural purposes, and by doing so, lakes and water bodies could be recharged.
"In the present situation, we are producing 990 MGD water for Delhi through a meticulous process. Delhi has ten water treatment plants (WTP) fed by the Yamuna and the Ganges. The water from the Ganges comes from Uttar Pradesh, while the Yamuna river water comes through Haryana. However, our population has increased manifold. In 1996, an agreement was reached between five states regarding the quantity of water to be supplied to Delhi. Despite the increase in population, the quantity of supplied water in 2023 remains the same, and we have to manage it," Bharti added.
He said that they are making attempts to increase water supply to 1300 MGD to fulfill the demand.
"We are talking about potable and non-potable water. We produce treated effluent water through sewage, and we treat it at 10/10. We have 35 STPs (sewage treatment plants), and each STP is attached to a lake or a water body. So, through treating the effluent, we are fulfilling the need for non-potable water, such as agriculture. In agriculture, treated effluent water is the best option. We should not use groundwater and drinking water for agricultural purposes," Bharti said.
He said that to clean the roads and for industrial purposes also treated effluent water could be used. And this was helping them in making Delhi a city of lakes. And thus they were also recharging the ground water. "And this recharged groundwater will be extracted through tubewells and through RO process we will make it drinking water."
Flood water from Yamuna could be used:
Bharti said that during the monsoon, Delhi witnessed flooding caused by the Yamuna. He suggested that this water could be utilized to fulfill various needs. He proposed the use of of scientific methods to recharge underground water and convert the 22 km long Yamuna riverbank into a reservoir. "For instance, we set up tubewells in the Palla area, which have a very high output," he said.
Yamuna will be like Mumbai beaches:
Bharti said that they were trying hard to upgrade each sewage treatment plant to a rating of 10/10 by June 2024.
"We will make the Yamuna river a clean place where you can take a bath. It will be like the beaches of Mumbai," he said.
Water Supply Audit is a must:
Bharti said that an audit of the water supply is a must.
"We are sending 100 litres from WTPs, but people are receiving only 50 litres. Where have these 50 litres vanished? Therefore, we have set up flow meters at each WTP office to monitor every drop of water, aiming to figure out leakage and detect water theft. We plan to complete this project by December 2023."
BJP is responsible for Delhi flood:
Bharti said that water and floods don't see geographical boundaries.
He mentioned that the Yamuna river breached the last highest water level mark of 207.39, which occurred 45 years ago. Officials assured them that it would not breach, but also that they were prepared for any situation.
"The BJP played politics over it. At Hathnikund Barrage, there are three lines - one goes to Delhi, and two go to other directions in UP and Haryana. However, all the water was released towards Delhi," he said.
Bharti said that as of now, the AAP has not decided whether to contest the 2024 general elections with the Congress or not. He also said there was no discussion regarding seat allocations between the two parties. He stated that the AAP's PAC would decide it.
When asked whether he will contest the Lok Sabha elections he said it depends on the party decisions. "As of now, I am discharging my official duties. If the party will ask me to contest, I will for sure,' he added."
They call me Tihari Somnath, I don't care
Bharti said that our political life should be open to any kind of criticism levelled by the opposition.
"They call me Tihari Somnath, but I am not Modi who will send his critics to jail. In the BJP, there are only two leaders; if you say a single word against Amit Shah or Modi, they will put you in jail. But if you hurl abuses and use derogatory language against us, nothing happens,' Bharti said.
INDIA alliance sets 2024 target for Lok Sabha, assembly elections later:
Bharti said that for the Lok Sabha elections, they are part of the INDIA alliance. He categorically stated that the INDIA alliance's target was the 2024 elections, and then it would be decided about the assembly elections.
He said that Kejriwal never spoke about becoming Prime Minister but instead focused on saving the Constitution. Bharti indicated that there would be no anti-incumbency in the assembly elections as their actions and development were visible.
"People are watching two models: one of AAP and another of BJP. There is no model of the Congress in Delhi as of now, and hence I can say we are still strong," he said."
Bharti criticised the Delhi Ordinance Bill calling it unconstitutional and against democracy.
(Atul Krishan can be reached at atul.k@ians.in)
Source: IANS
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