Dikshit accuses AAP of DJB’s financial losses, pollution, poor sewage planning

New Delhi: Former Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit on Monday blamed the Delhi government for financial losses at the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), pollution of the River Yamuna, and poor sewage management in the national capital.
Referring to a statement on a loan to the DJB under plan and non-plan heads, and the pending interest from 1998-99 to 2022-23, Dikshit questioned AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal about the massive financial losses incurred.
"The loss of the DJB in 2013-14 was ₹8,700 crore. It has reached ₹73,000 crore by 2022! @ArvindKejriwal, how did this happen? Who is responsible for this destruction? It's clear that your incompetent, corrupt government is to blame for the filth and the dirty Yamuna everywhere in Delhi!" he wrote on ‘X'.
Dikshit further criticised the AAP government for failing to increase sewage treatment capacity, worsening the pollution of the Yamuna.
"The sewage treatment capacity in 2013-14 was 613 MGD. But under @ArvindKejriwal's leadership, it only increased to 632 MGD by 2022-23—an increase of just 20 MGD, when it should have been 800-900 MGD. Who is responsible for providing poisonous and dirty water to Delhi?" he questioned.
Dikshit, who filed his nomination papers for the New Delhi Assembly on Thursday, is part of a triangular contest between Congress, BJP, and AAP. BJP has fielded Parvesh Verma for the seat, while Kejriwal is contesting for AAP.
On Saturday, Dikshit accused Kejriwal of being solely responsible for the toxic air and water in Delhi. He said that if the Delhi air and the Yamuna water were polluted, it was due to the total mismanagement, incompetence, and dishonesty of the Kejriwal govt. "On the contrary, Congress reduced pollution and made all efforts to make the city free of toxic air and water. There was no stubble-burning now, still the AQI (Air Quality Index) was hovering between 300 and 400," he said.