MillenniumPost
Delhi

Now, every home in slums to get water connection

This “historic” decision was taken in hindsight to the ambitious project of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to connect with the interiors and provide water supply to even the remotest corners of slums and clusters. 

With this, there is an effort from the Delhi government to change the predominant picture of women queueing up from early morning to fill their buckets with water which in several cases have led to fights and clashes between the residents. These cases have sometimes turned even very serious, leading to deaths as well. 

These slums will get water under ‘Jal Adhikar’ , a new connection category brought by the DJB. Water Minister Kapil Mishra said the work for laying pipelines has already been started and it will be completed by December 2017. According to DJB’s estimation, there are about 500 slums and unauthorised localities that will benefit from this scheme. 

“Water is a basic right which should be provided to everyone. The scheme will curb illegal tapping of water by those who cannot avail it,” he added. 

Currently, these colonies are being supplied water through community tapping, which means that water comes at a fixed tap for some time and the dwellers have to collect it from there. 

Besides the unauthorised colonies, the scheme will also be extended to villages and to people living on rent who do not have ownership of the property and were earlier unable to get a water connection. Now, they can avail legal connections by showing any proof of their residence in the property. “The board has drawn a leaf out of ‘Electricity Act, 2003’, and recognised the need to grant water connections to prospective consumers irrespective of their residential status. 

Denial of legal connection to an applicant not only increases Non revenue water (NRW) but also damages the pipelines because of the unscientific tappings,” he said.  Other measures announced after the meeting include giving 100 per cent rebate in late payment surcharge to all commercial consumers till November 30. 

Among others is DJB’s Online Quality Monitoring of raw water to ensure international water quality in the slums. Camera surveillance is being taken up at all Water Treatment Plants (WTP) for better and smoother functioning.  

The Water Master Plan 2021 has been prepared already which is ready for implementation. As many as 100 waterbodies in rural areas are being taken up for cleaning, improving and recharging the groundwater. 

Even keeping a track on the revenue part, Alternate Resources Mobilisation division has been set up to mobilise additional resources and make DJB financially self-sufficient. For consumer satisfaction, “DJB’s mSeva” has been started which is an android-based mobile application for allowing consumers to generate their own bills. 

Some of the measures include giving 100 per cent rebate in late payment surcharge to all commercial consumers till November 30. 

Such consumers will now be required to pay only the principal amount. Further, additional sewer charges on commercial connections have been waived off for many small hotels and restaurants. 

Mishra also announced that all DJB properties will have solar plants installed. A total of 16 MW of energy will be produced and consumed by the water utility. 
Next Story
Share it