The Hindu : New Delhi News : Depute officials for public hearing on water, Sheila told

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 09, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Depute officials for public hearing on water, Sheila told

Staff Reporter

Former Supreme Court judges likely to attend `Jansunvai' on October 17

NEW DELHI: Expressing concern at continued denial of basic information under the Right to Information Act and the dire consequences of restructuring the Delhi Jal Board under World Bank-sponsored programme, activists of the Right to Water Campaign have urged Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to depute officials for the "Jansunvai'' on water being held on October 17.

Prominent people including former Supreme Court judges Justice S. C. Aggarwal and Justice D. P. Wadhwa are expected to attend the public hearing. Eminent writer and social activist Arundhati Roy and former Water Resources Secretary Ramaswamy Iyer will also be part of the panel that will conduct the "Jansunvai'' and pass its verdict on the "controversial reforms'' that the Jal Board has sought to unleash under the World Bank-sponsored loan programme.

In a letter to Ms. Dikshit, the Right to Water Campaign has expressed concern over the water and sewerage issues in the Capital. It has stated that through the Right to Information Act they were able to procure documents that showed that the Delhi Jal Board along with the Delhi Government had initiated a programme to restructure parts of the Delhi water and sewerage system. This plan termed as 24X7 and Delhi Water Supply and Sewerage Project, has drastic and lasting implications for the society at large.

It further stated that the Right to Water Campaign has raised many questions regarding the 24X7 scheme. To understand this extremely important matter, the organisation had approached the Delhi Government and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) repeatedly for clarifications. It used the Right to Information Act to procure upwards of 4,000 documents on the matter. The organisation processed these documents and found serious flaws and pitfalls in the plan. Subsequent, independent investigations by teams of experts from IIT and IIM have also confirmed its findings and raised more concerns. "We again sought response from the DJB and other parties involved in the scheme. Unfortunately, our most serious concerns remain unaddressed. Recent reports claim that this project has been put on hold, but to our knowledge the loan application to the World Bank has not been withdrawn, and no such request has been made by the Delhi Government so far,'' it stated.

Stating that the organisation would be holding a "Jansunvai'' on October 17 at the Gandhi Peace Foundation, the letter has requested the Chief Minister to ensure the presence and participation of senior officials of the Delhi Government and the Delhi Jal Board at a "Jansunvai''. The "Jansunvai'' will discuss recent proposals to restructure the Jal Board and its responsibilities. It has specifically requested the presence of Jal Board CEO and all officers involved in the project. ``The presence and active participation of the Delhi Jal Board and the Delhi Government would help provide a serious, open forum for the airing of these concerns.

The Right to Water Campaign would simply ensure that the public has a powerful, constructive voice in decisions regarding this precious resource,'' it concludes.

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