The Hindu : DJB carves a niche for `Jal'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 11, 2002

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DJB carves a niche for `Jal'

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI NOV. 10. ``Jal''-- the 20-litre bottled water from Delhi Jal Board -- has been successful in creating a niche for itself in the highly-competitive packaged-water market of the Capital.

Launched a few months ago for residential areas facing acute scarcity of drinking water like Vasant Kunj and Sarita Vihar, now airlines, hospitals, hotels and schools have been are approaching the DJB for supply of ''Jal''.

This has been refused by top DJB officials on the plea that theirs was not a commercial venture unlike the other products in the market, but an effort to provide water to those areas that faced regular shortage of drinking water in particular during summer months.

Unlike other players in the market, DJB is relying on direct supply of bottled water to its consumers through "Jal Suvidha Kendra'' at a relatively cheaper cost of Rs. 15 and so far desisted from appointing any agent for door-to-door delivery of its bottled water. It has opened five such centres at Sartia Vihar, Greater Kailash, Friends Colony, Vasant Kunj and R.K. Puram and is in the process of opening more such outlets before next summer.

Though officials are tight-lipped about the request they have received for supply of `Jal' from non-residential consumers, some of the prominent ones include the Alliance Airlines, Moolchand Hospital. A number of multinationals and corporate bodies having offices in the vicinity of "Jal Suvidha Kendra'' have already started purchasing "Jal'' from here. "We have received more than two dozens requests for home delivery,'' said a senior DJB official.

However, officials did concede that such requests and favourable response from consumers have forced them to think about not only the expansion of the bottled-water plant at Greater Kailash for the next summer, but also evolve a mechanism wherein "Jal'' could be marketed to other segments of the society.

``We had launched it as a pilot project, now we plan to set up new plants as we have lot of land available,'' a DJB official said. Also a serious thought is being given to appoint agents for home delivery of "Jal'', but it is being resisted for the time being with an argument that this would require appointment of agents and given the present condition of the DJB, there is bound to be lot of political interference.

``In such a scenario, we cannot rule out the possibility of some mischief being done by these agents. Our top priority is the quality of water and there would be no compromise on it. As of now we are supplying Jal directly to the consumers. Our every bottle is numbered and a record is maintained, so we know which bottle has gone where,'' the official said. So the DJB is likely to continue with its present system, until they are able to develop a full-proof system.

However, some positive developments have taken place for the distribution of "Jal'' through resident welfare association. "Talks are already underway with some RWAs in Sarita Vihar, Vasant Kunj and Greater Kailash,'' officials said. But the only hitch is the pricing. While the DJB wants to be sure that "Jal'' is supplied to its consumers at Rs. 15, the RWAs want to impose a service charge of Rs. 1 or 2. "For this we are insisting that the RWAs should display prominently at their office,'' officials said.

Meanwhile, the DJB has begun the process of getting ISO 9002 certificate for its bottling plant. A team of officials have been sent for training to bring its plant to international standards.

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