'Procedural lapses' in BIS water testing alleges Delhi Jal Board

The verbal war between the Delhi government and the Central government over the quality of water in the national capital intensified on Saturday when Delhi Jal Board (DJB) vice-chairperson Dinesh Mohaniya alleged "procedural lapses" in Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) findings. Speaking to the sources, DJB vice-chairperson who is also Aam Aadmi Party's MLA from Sangam Vihar, said, "They have published the report without collecting the sample in a proper manner. The samples which they have collected were not sealed properly. The organisation did not even tell us what parameters they have used to declare water unfit for drinking. They did not inform the officers while collecting the samples."

READ: Delhi BJP protests against Arvind Kejriwal govt over contaminated water, polluted air

"You can take the sample of the water from the Chief Minister's office and can get it checked from any laboratory. That water is fit for drinking," the Delhi Jal Board vice-chairperson added.

READ: Only 117 localities have complaints of dirty water, says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Water Quality Debate in Delhi

A tussle over the quality of water in the capital started on November 16 after Union consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan shared the findings of a study conducted by BIS, which suggested that Delhi's tap water was the worst among major cities of the country and is no more fit for drinking without purification. Just a day after, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal rejected the findings of the BIS report and challenged the Union Minister in a press meeting to share the addresses of the places from which BIS collected the samples. Paswan, last week, shared details of eleven places from where samples were collected.

READ: Delhi water pollution row: Kejriwal says, 'Not interested in politics over water issue'

BJP women workers protest

Female workers of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a protest against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal outside the Delhi Jal Board on Friday. Protesters say that the drinking water being provided to the residents of Delhi is toxic. The Aam Aadmi Party leader lifted the infrastructural charges for water supply and sewer earlier today, said that Delhi households will be provided water free of cost. But as per BIS reports, Delhi has failed in almost 10 out of 11 polity parametres of drinking water. 

READ: Delhi: BJP women workers protest against Kejriwal on water pollution, call him a liar

(With ANI Inputs)