The Hindu : New Delhi News : After more power, Delhi wants water security

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Monday, Apr 21, 2008
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After more power, Delhi wants water security

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

DJB wants the Centre to enforce its control over rivers that are shared by States

“Water sharing agreements need to be enforced”
“A neutral body should watch over the functioning of utilities”

NEW DELHI: Selected to play host to the Commonwealth Games in 2010, Delhi is aiming for a metamorphosis. From a city that is routinely battling power and water scarcity, it wants to transform itself into a world class city that will serve as a role model for the rest of the country.

Taking the first steps in that direction, the city’s utilities want the Centre to insulate it from the mundane problems of water and energy shortage. The utilities have stepped up pressure on the Central Government to ensure that there is no shortfall of energy and water in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games.

Close on the heels of the Power Department seeking additional allotment of electricity from the Centre’s share to meet the city’s growing energy demands, the Delhi Jal Board has also sought more water security for the Capital.

Disturbed by the frequent disruptions in the water supply by the neighbouring States, the water utility wants the Central Government to take control of the head works and enforce its control over rivers that are shared by States.

“Rivers like the Yamuna are not owned by a single State, yet there is recurrent dispute over the sharing of the river waters. Despite a Supreme Court directive Delhi still finds it difficult to get Haryana to release its share of the Yamuna waters. To weed out such irritants, the Centre should take control of the head works,” said a senior official of the water utility.

The tussle over sharing water between Delhi and Haryana has turned into a long drawn battle, with the former having filed contempt petitions against the latter in the Supreme Court.

“It has to be brought to the notice of the States that the national water policy is sacrosanct and cannot be dismissed. The discipline to adhere to national policies, memorandums of understanding, water sharing agreements need to be enforced. Though Haryana is bound by a Supreme Court order to release water for Delhi and also release as much water as is required to maintain the pond level at Wazirabad, there have been numerous occasions when the State has arbitrarily curtailed our share of drinking water,” said the official.

The Board has also proposed that there should be a “neutral body” assigned to watch over the functioning of utilities of various States. “For instance the Central Water Commission can appoint a neutral body to ensure that all States that are signatories to water sharing agreements are abiding by them and there is no flouting of norms,” the official explained.

“As the Capital of the country, Delhi cannot be fighting with other States for water and power. There should be a mechanism to protect the national capital from water and power short shortage, especially now that we are so close to hosting the international games,” the official pointed out.

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