The Hindu : New Delhi News : South Delhi water crisis due to illegal tapping

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 12, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

South Delhi water crisis due to illegal tapping

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JULY 11. Illegal tapping of water at over a hundred places from its raising main is a major reason for the severe water crisis during summer in South Delhi, including posh colonies like Vasant Kunj, Vasant Vihar, Hauz Khas, Green Park and Safdarjung Enclave.

Despite being in possession of a complete list of all such tappings through a recent survey, the Delhi Jal Board has been "helpless" to close these unauthorised connections because of the support of the influential political leadership of the ruling Congress.

It is understood that the DJB in a recent report on the water crisis in South Delhi has named several Congress MLAs -- Mukesh Sharma from Hastsal being the prominent one -- for providing active support to these "water mafia" who illegally tap water and supply them to the unauthorised colonies.

It is learnt that the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, has been briefed about the loss of precious water and the DJB has sought her permission to take on the water mafia. Even on Sunday, the DJB managed to stop illegal tapping at Pankha Road from the raising main coming from the Haiderpur Water Treatment Plant and going to the underground water reservoir at Deer Park in Hauz Khas. The pipeline supplies water to almost the entire South Delhi and is at the tail end of the supply. "This is the major reason for the crisis in this part of the Capital," sources revealed.

It is believed that the DJB Chief Executive Officer, P. K. Tripathi, had to seek the help of the Police Commissioner, K. K. Paul, to direct the local police to help its officials to prevent illegal tapping. Though Mukesh Sharma was not present when all this "hungama" was going on at Pankha Road this morning, eyewitnesses said the people who were opposing the DJB move to fill up the large crater dug up to "tap" water from the raising main were taking his name. The DJB today lodged a first information report.

Only last month, Mr. Sharma had reached the site and opposed DJB when it had gone to disconnect the illegal tapping in his constituency. Sources said the DJB had recently done the videography of all illegal tappings. It has also issued directive to all its engineers that any new tapping in their area would result in their automatic suspension.

Officials said illegally tapping water from the raising main, provided round the clock supply to these unauthorised colonies at a very high pressure, which can easily reach even the fourth floor. "As a result, colonies at the fag end of the supply line do not receive any water," sources said, adding that this also resulted in revenue loss. It is learnt that the DJB last month had started a drive to disconnect all such connections, but it was stopped at its very nascent stage because of opposition from the political leadership.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi