Just within a month after BJP’s win in Delhi Assembly, how did Haryana CM Saini change his previous standpoint and how the dirt and effluents in the same Yamuna River water have become visible, which previously was being claimed carrying pure and drinkable water?

Chairing 56th Meeting of Haryana State Drought Relief and Flood Control Board in Chandigarh on March 15, CM Saini directed all DCs to ensure that no polluted effluents fall into the Yamuna and said, “We need to find alternate arrangements for the outflow of sewage water”.  Doesn’t It mean that previously the polluted effluents and sewage water were falling into the river without any hindrance and no need ever felt to find the alternate arrangements? 

Issuing strict instructions, the Chief Minister ordered that no sewage water or polluted drain should fall into the Yamuna River as it was our collective responsibility to clean the Yamuna. He said we need to find alternate arrangements for the outflow of sewage water and especially directed the Deputy Commissioners of Panipat, Sonipat, Palwal and Yamunanagar districts to set up Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in their districts to prevent polluted water from flowing into the Yamuna. The Chief Minister reiterated Haryana’s commitment to clean the Yamuna River permanently. He also directed officials to look into the functioning of 6 STPs in Masani Barrage in Rewari and ensure their maintenance.

During the Delhi assembly elections, River Yamuna became the hot issue to woo the voters. AAP and BJP, both were blaming and slamming each other for the contaminated water flowing through the river. 

Delhi former Chief Minister Kejriwal, as well as the then CM Atishi blamed the BJP led Haryana Government for making the Yamuna River water dirty and contaminated. 

Arvind Kejriwal on his X account, on January 30, wrote, “BJP has made Yamuna water poisonous by adulterating it.”

He asked the BJP led Haryana Government, “Do you want to kill the people of Delhi by giving them the water which you yourself cannot drink?”

Kejriwal also challenged the BJP leaders to drink the dirty water being supplied to Delhi, “The poisonous water containing 7 PPM ammonia coming from Haryana to Delhi is being sent to the houses of leaders of other parties, they should try drinking this water.”

The then Chief Minister of Delhi, Atishi @AtishiAAP, while referring her letter Jan 28 to Election Commission stated on her X, “Ammonia levels continue to be 6 times above normal in Yamuna waters, at the point it is entering Delhi from Haryana. Such levels are extremely toxic for the human body.”

And on the other corner Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini not only refuted the claim of the Aam Adami Party leaders, but also counter alleged by accusing them of failing to make proper arrangements for water distribution, which has forced Delhi residents to consume contaminated water. He alleged that the AAP government in Delhi systematically diverted 28 drains into the Yamuna.

Amid allegations and counter allegations between Haryana and Delhi governments, Haryana CM Saini claimed having a sip of water from the Yamuna River in Delhi’s Palla Village.

Later Saini said, “An unfortunate statement by Arvind Kejriwal was given to create fear in the minds of people for his political benefits. Today, I have come here to the banks of River Yamuna and took a sip of water from Yamuna.  He (Kejriwal) said that the BJP Govt of Haryana has poisoned the Yamuna River. He spoke about mass genocide. The water resource authority took samples from here and no poison was found in the water. Arvind Kejriwal has lied all his life…”, reports Economic Times web portal on January 29.

What a sudden shift!  Now the CM Saini is clearly seeing the dirt and polluted effluents flowing abundantly in the Haryana territory in the same river water which was very clear and fit to drink one month before, and now alarming the officers to ready up the river clean.

Here arises the question– If Haryana CM Saini is so anxious about the dirt and effluents flowing in the river waters, then why is he not even talking about the Ghaggar River, which is so badly poured with polluted effluents and sewage waste that it is being named as cancerous river in the public?

Ghaggar is welcomed in Haryana at its entry point, the Panchkula city, which showers the welcome flowers by pouring its untreated sewage waste through nallahs at different places and let it speed up its crawling further to get blessings in the form of industrial effluents and sewage dirt in the journey ahead to return the favour by spreading cancer. No one cares for its dirt and grime. 

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), stating the history of River Ghaggar, states, “The Ghaggar is an intermittent river in India, flowing during the monsoon season. It originates in the Shivalik Hills of Himachal Pradesh and flows through Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

In Haryana, it flows through south-west of Sirsa and by-the-side of Talwara Jheel in Rajasthan. This seasonal river feeds two irrigation canals that extend into Rajasthan.

The wide river-bed (paleo-channel) of the Ghaggar suggests that the river once flowed full of water, through the entire region, in the presently dried channel of the Hakra River.”

Hinting about the quality of water flowing in Ghaggar, CPCB further adds that in addition, the industrial and domestic wastewater discharges from the towns located along Ghaggar or its tributaries deteriorate the water quality of the river.  

Will someone heed?

Haryana’s Health Minister, Arti Singh Rao, on March 18, 2025, while giving data of cancer patients in the state assembly, said that health institutions in Haryana and joint capital Chandigarh reported 30475 new cancer patients in the year 2024. However, there are only 915 beds for cancer patients in 38 special wards in various government health institutes, said the Minister, as reported by Indian Express on March 19. What a big surge in cancer reported cases during 2024!

 Kumari Selja, an MP from Haryana, in her press release dated 17 December ,2024, giving reference of her question asked in Lok Sabha, claims that the Government admitted in the Lok Sabha that people living around the Ghaggar River are at a higher risk of Cancer as the water of the Ghaggar River is neither fit for drinking nor bathing. She adds the Risk of Cancer is continuously increasing due to the polluted water of the river and the adequate arrangements have not been made for Cancer patients by the state Government.

Divulging details, Kumari Selja revealed, “The People living near the Ghaggar River, which flows through several districts of Haryana, face a high risk of cancer. The river’s water has become so polluted that it is neither fit for drinking nor bathing. Polluted water is contributing to cancer, with the number of cancer patients increasing every year. However, there are no adequate treatment facilities for these patients, forcing them to travel to Delhi, Chandigarh, or other states for treatment.

Sirsa MP Kumari Selja had asked the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister in the Lok Sabha about the number of cancer patients in Haryana, the details of special cancer wards set up in various districts for treating these patients, and the extent to which polluted water from the Ghaggar River is responsible for spreading cancer. Kumari Selja also inquired about whether the government has any plans to clean this river and if the central government provides any special assistance to cancer patients from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. In response, Health and Family Welfare Minister Prataprao Jadhav stated that under the National Cancer Registry Program of the Indian Council of Medical Research, Haryana reported 1,486 cancer cases in 2019, 1,536 in 2020, 1,580 in 2021, 1,630 in 2022, and 1,678 in 2023. The minister further said that facilities for cancer patient care are available in government medical colleges in Hisar, Karnal, Nuh, Sonipat, and Rohtak, along with comprehensive facilities at the National Cancer Institute in Bhadsa.

The response also revealed that studies indicate a higher risk of cancer among people living near the Ghaggar River. The river’s water contains lead, iron, and aluminium in amounts far exceeding permissible limits, which contributes to the spread of cancer. In Haryana, the water of this river is unsuitable for drinking and bathing. Under the National River Conservation Plan, 28 sewage treatment plants (STPs) with a total capacity of 291.7 MLD have been set up in Punjab for treating wastewater discharged into the Ghaggar River’s catchment area, while Haryana has created a sewage treatment capacity of 588 MLD.

Central health minister Prataprao Jadhav confirms that the studies indicate a higher risk of cancer among people living near the Ghaggar River. The river’s water contains lead, iron, and aluminium in amounts far exceeding permissible limits, which contributes to the spread of cancer. In Haryana, the water of this river is unsuitable for drinking and bathing.

Will the Haryana CM heed towards the facts stated by the union health minister and divert his action plan to keep clean the Ghaggar also with the same concern as is being shown towards Yamuna River or will keep mum?  Will he let the cancerous Ghaggar to flow as it is running and ruining the lives of the inhabitants? 

Jag Mohan Thaken is a Senior Journalist, Columnist & Political Analyst, views are personal