The Hindu : New Delhi News : 'Water sector reforms a recipe for disaster'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 03, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

'Water sector reforms a recipe for disaster'

Sujay Mehdudia

Magsaysay Award winner warns Delhi Government of "serious political fallout" if it signs pact with World Bank

NEW DELHI: Describing the proposed water sector reforms in Delhi as nothing but a recipe for disaster, eminent social worker and Magsaysay Award winner Aruna Roy has warned the Delhi Government of ``serious political fall-out'' if it goes ahead and signs an agreement with the World Bank for initiating the privatisation programme in the Delhi Jal Board.

``In view of the documents that have come out and the issues raised over the entire programme by eminent citizens, academics from various Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and strong opposition from the Left parties, it is going to be very difficult for the Delhi Government to continue with the contract. They will not be able to sign the agreement as the issues involved are more than just signing a contact. The technical reasons cannot be more important than the ethical and democratic issues,'' Ms. Roy told The Hindu in an interview.

Having been in the forefront of opposing the privatisation programme for the Delhi Jal Board, Ms. Roy had also made her views known to the Planning Commission as well as Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the issue.

Stating that she was strongly opposed to the reforms programme under the World Bank, Ms. Roy said all the metropolises should debate the water issue thoroughly. They should use the Right to Information Act intelligently so that the Government accords more respect to public opinion. Unfortunately that was not happening and signing of the contact would have a serious political fall-out in future.

"The attempts to hand over water management to multinational companies should stop immediately. The democratic and ethical issues are more important and cannot be overlooked,'' she asserted. On the recent Jansunvai held by non-government organisation Parivartan to debate the water privatisation and World Bank-sponsored programme, Ms. Roy said it was unfortunate that despite being extended a prior invitation, Delhi Jal Board officials did not attend the public hearing indicating that they had more to hide than to reveal. As for the World Bank that also failed to turn up for the public hearing, Ms. Roy said it did not want to face the public so it decided to stay away. "There is an urgent need to train the ruling elite to be more transparent and open in dealing with various public important matters. They will have to learn to be transparent. The veil of secrecy has gone on for too long and this will no longer be possible as the Right to Information Act empowers the citizens in a major manner. The sooner they learn the better it will be for them and their governments,'' she stated.

On her interaction with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit over the issue, Ms. Roy said she was given the impression that everything had been put on hold and were assured that they could ask for any kind of information.

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