AAP firm on promise of free supply of 700 lt water
27 Dec 2013 5:02 AM IST
‘We are working on water first. Water will be made free within 24 hours of the government coming to power. But it will take some time to take the supply to all parts of the city,’ Kejriwal said at a janata darbar organised near his residence. However, former Delhi chief secretary Umesh Sehgal said, ‘There are no legal problems in giving free water, but a financial problem is there. How will the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) run?’
Rejecting this SA Naqvi convener of Citizens Front for Water Democracy said, ‘DJB will not lose out on anything. Their expenditure is Rs 1,700 crore and revenue is Rs 2,150 crore per annum from just 40 to 45 per cent of the population. So they are already making profit.’
While giving data, accessed through RTI, Naqvi said, ‘DJB claims to provide 250 litres water per capita. However, 850 million gallon daily (MGD) is at the disposal of DJB. So it would be easier for the state government to meet the target for each household with an average of five members.
Privatisation leads to corruption and makes water a profitable market commodity. Even if there was a loss, the government should go for implementing the scheme. If central government can subsidise food then why not water, which is the foremost basic need’.
Manoj Mishra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan said, ‘Instead of providing free water, government should have tariff slabs and charge as low as 50 paise per litre for the first 700-litre bracket.’ However he went on to question, ‘Do we really need so much water? An individual in India would require at maximum, 50 to 60 litres of water every day. Hence, a household of five members requires only 350 litres.’
Himanshu Thakkar, an expert on water issues, also finds it feasible. ‘Delhi Jal Board claims to supply around 200 litres of water (to every household). Raising it to 700 litres would just need better infrastructure. Leakage would have to be stopped,’ Thakkar said.
Rejecting this SA Naqvi convener of Citizens Front for Water Democracy said, ‘DJB will not lose out on anything. Their expenditure is Rs 1,700 crore and revenue is Rs 2,150 crore per annum from just 40 to 45 per cent of the population. So they are already making profit.’
While giving data, accessed through RTI, Naqvi said, ‘DJB claims to provide 250 litres water per capita. However, 850 million gallon daily (MGD) is at the disposal of DJB. So it would be easier for the state government to meet the target for each household with an average of five members.
Privatisation leads to corruption and makes water a profitable market commodity. Even if there was a loss, the government should go for implementing the scheme. If central government can subsidise food then why not water, which is the foremost basic need’.
Manoj Mishra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan said, ‘Instead of providing free water, government should have tariff slabs and charge as low as 50 paise per litre for the first 700-litre bracket.’ However he went on to question, ‘Do we really need so much water? An individual in India would require at maximum, 50 to 60 litres of water every day. Hence, a household of five members requires only 350 litres.’
Himanshu Thakkar, an expert on water issues, also finds it feasible. ‘Delhi Jal Board claims to supply around 200 litres of water (to every household). Raising it to 700 litres would just need better infrastructure. Leakage would have to be stopped,’ Thakkar said.
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