The Hindu : New Delhi News : Water issue reaches Sonia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 02, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Water issue reaches Sonia

Sujay Mehdudia

Congress president reportedly seeks details on privatisation move

NEW DELHI: With moves for privatisation of the water sector in Delhi generating heat and raising questions over the social obligations of an elected government, the matter has now reached Congress president Sonia Gandhi who is understood to have sought details on the issue, turning the focus on the controversial issue once again. A large number of non-government organisations, residents' welfare associations and prominent citizens have raised their voice against the proposed privatisation of water after the bad experience with the power sector reforms.

The move for privatisation of the water sector, now facing strong opposition from within the Congress, is slowly threatening to snowball into a major controversy with a leading NGO, Parivartan, unveiling a list of documents revealing the details of the communication between the Delhi Jal Board and the World Bank on this controversial issue. Eminent social activist and Magsaysay Award winner Aruna Roy raised the matter during the meeting of the National Advisory Council (NAC) headed by Ms. Gandhi. It is learnt that Ms. Roy pointed to the "controversial manner'' of privatisation of water in Delhi and the commitment made by the United Progressive Alliance Government in the Common Minimum Programme that makes water policy a social commitment in rural and urban areas.

Only recently Ms. Gandhi had expressed her annoyance over the "deteriorating'' power situation in the Capital and the resentment prevailing among the citizens.

She had asked the Sheila Dikshit Government to pull up its socks and make the private power distribution companies fall in line to redress the grievances of the consumers. After this directive from Ms. Gandhi, the Delhi Government swung into action and sought to control the damage by issuing a strong warning to the private power discoms and also holding interactive sessions with the citizen groups.

Now the issue raised by social activists and NGOs over privatisation of water has reached the doorstep of the Congress president who has been asked to intervene in the matter.

The Delhi Jal Board has referred the matter of water privatisation to the Planning Commission with the intent to seek its seal of approval for the project with World Bank.

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