NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said on Thursday that following Uttar Pradesh Government's refusal to release to Delhi 300 cusecs of water from the Tehri Hydroelectric Project for the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant, she has urged Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz to convene a meeting with U.P. Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on the issue.

Speaking after approving the budget estimates for 2006-07 of Delhi Jal Board, Ms Dikshit, who is also DJB Chairperson, said with Tehri Project declaring its total output of water at 4,000 cusecs, the Water Resources Ministry is also inclined towards release of Delhi's share by Uttar Pradesh.

The Chief Minister said efforts are also on to improve the existing distribution system.

"Improvement in the distribution network is being made to ensure that there is equitable water supply in various areas,'' she said, adding that the Delhi Government was taking all possible steps to ensure that there was no water shortage this summer and adequate funds would be made available for the purpose.

While the water tariff has not been hiked, the issue to raise it by 10 per cent was raised at the Board meeting but the proposal was shot down after some members objected to it on the grounds that it had been agreed upon earlier that there would be no increase till the time water supply starts from the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant.

At the meeting, some members had also tried to promote the cause of black-listed contractor -- who also spent some time in jail recently in a case of forgery -- by saying that he would be the best person to execute a project in the New Delhi Municipal Council area. However, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri objected to the matter saying DJB should float a tender for the purpose.

The DJB Chief Executive Officer Arun Mathur said for improving availability of water in the Capital, work on construction of 102 km parallel lined channel from Munak to Haiderpur is in progress.

Mr Mathur said DJB is also executing works for recycling of waste water at Wazirabad, Bhagirathi and Haiderpur water treatment plants

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