The Hindu : New Delhi News : Conserve water, Govt. exhorts Delhiites

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 29, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Conserve water, Govt. exhorts Delhiites

Staff Reporter

Satisfaction over Jal Board's summer action plan

For proper implementation of various schemes and plans of DJB, it was decided the release of grant-in-aid given by the Delhi Government to the Board be expedited and the provision of additional Rs. 50 lakh to each MLA under the MLA Constituency Development Fund provided exclusively for water related schemes and projects be finalised in time.

NEW DELHI: Even as the water level in the Yamuna continues to register a fall and the underground reservoirs are recording low levels compared to last year, the Delhi Cabinet has impressed upon the people to conserve water as it was a commodity in short supply.

However, the Cabinet expressed satisfaction over implementation of the summer action plan prepared by the Delhi Jal Board.

Though there was concern over the continued drop in water supply from various sources, it was felt that the situation was not very grave.

The DJB CEO, Rakesh Mohan, informed that the Board had been able to augment water supply by about 20 MGD and had also ensured production of about 690 MGD during April 2005 compared to the figure of 670 MGD during the corresponding period in 2004.

The Cabinet expressed satisfaction over implementation of the summer action plan and noted that while there still remained a gap of about 150 MGD between the projected demand and actual production, yet better demand management, leakage detection and control, deployment of tankers and responsive complaint redressal system had been able to ensure supply even to the chronically affected areas.

It was, however, stressed that the best way of handling the situation would be through extensive conservation of water by encouraging people to actively take up conservation of water at every level.

The DJB has also deployed a fleet of tankers to cater to the needs of the water-starved areas and to meet any emergency demand. About 1,064 water tankers had been put in serviceand special attention was being paid to ensure that leakages and splashing from filled tankers did not occur and also pilferage at filling points was checked.

The junior engineers would monitor the movement of these tankers. The Chief Minister pointed out that private tankers were also filling up from DJB's filling points and instructed that steps be taken to ensure that pilferage in this form does not take place.

Leakage detection and control having been a prime cause of concern for the Board. It has been put into place 100 home guards for surveillance of rising mains.

The DJB had also installed 449 deep bore hand pumps and 225 tube wells had been bored to augment water supply in the wake of the rising summer demand.

It was also decided to extent the rebate scheme on late payment till July 31 for the benefit of consumers.

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