Winter water crisis over, slum residents now want pipeline work to be over by monsoon

NEW DELHI: With the winter water crisis coming to an end at various unauthorised colonies have already begun in the city, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB has started construction of new pipeline at various slums. However, residents in these areas are still doubtful whether the works will be completed before monsoon.

Many residents in slums believe said that if the works are spoilt before monsoon, the crisis of drinking water as well as contamination of water will worsen their daily life.

"Pipeline works have started, but if the work does not get completed before monsoon, the whole area will be flooded and drinking water will be very polluted," said Fatima Khatoon, a resident of a resettlement colony in Narela.

She and group of residents have urged Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to monitor the works and make sure they are finished before monsoon.

"Earlier too, the government started various works and then, due to monsoon, they abandon it, which affected our life," Khatoon said.

Residents of Narela resettlement colonies – which mostly comprises refugees from Bangladesh – also claim that while the government starts off the work for these projects, the local civic bodies do not coordinate, causing the projects to go unfinished.

"We are happy that the project has started. But the monitoring and implementation are important," said a member of an NGO working in the colony.

The water crisis at various slums of Delhi is increasing with each passing day and DJB has already started receiving various complaints.

"As soon as we get complaints, we immediately send water tankers at those places. We do not yet have any major crisis of water. All these complaints are routine issues," said a DJB official.

However, residence of north west Delhi's Bhalswa slum told Millennium Post that last week, water tankers were irregular and on most days, the tankers came only once.

"In the summer, we need more water. At least three times the tankers should come. But DJB is sending them only once a day," said a Sushma Mali, a resident.

The situation has to lead to huge drinking water crisis in the slum.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday inaugurated work for laying the water pipeline in Narela's resettlement colonies in north west Delhi. The project will bring 12 resettlement colonies – located in Narela Assembly Constituency – under the piped water supply network.

"The project will benefit 1,20,000 residents of the area. DJB is working hard to connect the maximum possible number of colonies to the piped water supply network," said an official of the Board.