The Hindu : New Delhi News : “Release of water from Haryana to be monitored”

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“Release of water from Haryana to be monitored”

Staff Reporter

Sheila directs Delhi Jal Board to augment water supply

‘The level of water in the Yamuna would become normal in three days’
‘The construction work of 53 underground reservoirs is in progress’

NEW DELHI: Joint Secretary-level officials of the Delhi Jal Board and the Haryana Irrigation Department would jointly monitor release of water for Delhi from Haryana, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit informed a review meeting on water here on Friday.

During the meeting, Delhi Jal Board Chief Executive Officer Arun Mathur while giving details on the supply of water from Haryana expressed confidence that the level of water in the Yamuna would become normal in three days. The meeting was also informed that the construction work on only 22 km of the Munak-Hyderpur Canal remained to be completed. The canal, the officials said, would be completed by 2008-end.

Ms. Dikshit also directed the Jal Board officials to take necessary steps to augment water supply during summer. The Jal Board officials informed that at present 770 million gallons a day (MGD) of potable water was being made available to the people and potable water was being supplied in vulnerable areas with the help of 1,067 water tankers.

The meeting was also informed that there has been a 30 per cent decrease in water leakages and the Jal Board had collected Rs.460 crore more revenue than last year.

It was also reported that work on construction of 53 underground reservoirs was in progress. While 15 of them are going to be completed soon, 10 more are due to be commissioned within four to five months while another three would be functional by year-end. With the construction of 25 more reservoirs connected with the Sonia Vihar plant, the Chief Minister said about 30 lakh residents of unauthorised colonies would get potable water supply in a few years.

The Jal Board, she said, was also undertaking laying of sewer lines in 370 unauthorised colonies and in 108 of the 135 rural villages. Moreover, she said, sewer lines would also be laid in 189 villages.

The Chief Minister, who also reviewed the power situation in the Capital during the day, said the private distribution companies would not be allowed to undertake load-shedding during summer. It was decided at the meeting that the Delhi Government would approach the Union Power Ministry in day or two and seek more power for meeting the demand at the peak of summer.

Ms. Dikshit also assured the three discoms that the Government would help them get sufficient power supply. She also declared that the concessional power rate would be effective from March 1, 2008, and this would be reflected in the bills from the next billing cycle.

Under this scheme, the discoms would grant concession of Re.1 per unit to consumers in case they restrict monthly consumption to 150 units during non-peak months and 200 units during the peak summer and winter months.

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