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Tempers run high at DJB meeting

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Tempers ran high at a meeting called for approving the 2007-08 budget estimates of the Delhi Jal Board here on Friday. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who is also the DJB chairperson, faced criticism from several MLAs and the Vice-Chairman of the Board following reports of corruption emanating from the civic utility.

The meeting, which saw Vice-Chairman Bheesham Sharma stage a walk-out following a showdown with Ms. Dikshit, ended with the Board approving Rs.1,242 crore of planned expenditure apart from flagging off several other initiatives including building underground reservoirs for storing additional water to meet the city's requirement.

"The planned expenditure has been approved and we have made a presentation on what we propose to do with the money. We are getting an additional 20 MGD of water for the Nangloi water treatment plant, which was long overdue. The Board has also agreed to sanction construction of 28 underground reservoirs, which we will need to store additional water that the city is slated to get," said DJB Chief Executive Officer Arun Mathur.

More water

"The Central Water Commission has directed the Bhakhra Beas Management Board to release an additional 20 MGD of water for the Nangloi plant. With this we will get the full share of the 40 MGD allocated for Delhi," he said adding, "the Board has also given its consent for the construction of the Bela Road-Ring Road trunk sewers, construction of the proposed sewer treatment plants and laying of peripheral network for the construction of the proposed water treatment plant at Okhla." While the CEO maintained that the bulk water meters to be installed would allow better auditing, sources said the contract for these meters had emerged as a cause of conflict.

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