The Hindu : New Delhi News : More to water crisis than meets the eye

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 09, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

More to water crisis than meets the eye

By Lalit K. Jha

NEW DELHI, JUNE 8. The ongoing water crisis, the worst in several years, has more to do with management of available resources rather than any major shortage of raw water as was being claimed by the Delhi Jal Board.

According to sources in the Jal Board involved in the policymaking of the public utility and experts closely monitoring the developments, the situation on the water front is deliberately not being addressed, thus preparing the ground for its privatisation.

Arguing that the city was reeling under the worst ever crisis after six years, and also that the availability of raw water has been the same as previous years, both the official and expert associated with the DJB asked: "What else can you say when you have the same capacity, but the situation is far worse at the ground level? There are areas which have not been receiving water supply for weeks together."

Posh colonies like Greater Kailash, Pamposh Enclave and Kalkaji residents have not been receiving water for more than two-three days at stretch. "The strong privatisation lobby, which comprises several international players, have been manipulating things in the DJB and deputing certain officials at strategic locations just to ensure that things go out of hand and the situation comes to such a pass that there is simply no resistance from the citizens to privatise water treatment and distribution system in Delhi," officials said.

Referring to the huge loss of water during transmission, insiders said this year there was no attempt to plug in the loopholes. "There have been no special drives like in the past," officials said. "Besides there are innumerable examples which indicate that the water crisis is man made and at least not as acute as it was being made out at the ground level," he said. The expert was quick to point to the World Bank-funded study, which had favoured large-scale participation of private companies in water distribution system of the Capital.

Even the citizens and resident welfare associations, who in the past had been interacting with the DJB officials, share a similar sentiment. "This year, the DJB officials seem to have suddenly become arrogant. They do not respond to our calls," alleged a Congress MLA from Outer Delhi. Another MLA from South Delhi sought to put the blame on the new Member (Water) S.S. Mondal, for the deteriorating situation on the water front. "While its Chief Executive Officer, P. K. Tripathi, has been unable to devote his time and energy to the DJB and manage its affairs, the Member (Water) has proved to be a big failure," he alleged.

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