The Hindu : New Delhi News : Alarm bells ringing for Sheila Govt.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 31, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Alarm bells ringing for Sheila Govt.

Sujay Mehdudia

Sharp deterioration in power and water supply There is a possibility of power tariffs being increased by 10 per cent for the third time in three years

NEW DELHI: The sharply deteriorating power and water situation in the Capital has set the alarm bells ringing for the Delhi Government that had promised a cool and comfortable summer. Already there have been incidents of citizens taking to the streets in protest and water rationing in some areas. And things will only get worse if the mercury rises further and the supply falls.

All this at a time when the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Authority (DERC) is gearing up for a re-look at the power tariffs and announcement of a new structure by next month. There is a possibility of tariffs being increased by 10 per cent for the third time in three years even as North Delhi Power Limited has sought a reduction in tariffs much to the discomfiture of the DERC and the Delhi Government.

Only last week the Delhi Cabinet had met to review the situation but did not find the situation very alarming. However, the summer heat has already started taking its toll as a large number of areas across the city are facing an acute water shortage due to a fall in supply situation.

The past week saw a sudden increase in the number of areas facing water shortage with the result that some of the residents have taken to the streets. At Bindapur village in West Delhi, people last week attacked the Delhi Jal Board office protesting against the failure to supply drinking water for three consecutive days. On Sunday, people took to the streets at Sadiq Nagar in South Delhi protesting against the scarcity of water for the past four days. The supply of water from Haryana has not improved and the water level in the Yamuna and at the treatment plants has gone down with each passing day. Coupled with this, the water from the Tehri Dam for the 140 MGD (million gallons a day) Sonia Vihar water treatment plant is showing no sign of maturing.

Water tankers

The situation on the supply of water through tankers is no different. Although the Delhi Jal Board claims to have deployed 1,100 water tankers for distribution of water in those areas facing scarcity, a large number of tankers hardly reach their destinations.

They are allegedly diverted en route and the water is often sold in areas that are facing a severe shortage. Interestingly, these tankers have also become a terror on the roads in the past few weeks; five children have been crushed to death by them.

On the power front, BSES has come in for flak from various sections, including the legislators for having failed to ensure regular supply of power. With the increase in heat, the duration of power cuts has also gone up with cuts ranging from two hours to six hours in the BSES areas particularly in the trans-Yamuna area.

This has also put a question mark over the claims that huge investments had been made to improve the infrastructure in the BSES areas. On the other hand, the performance of NDPL has been quite impressive.

So much so that NDPL has petitioned the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission to reduce tariffs in its areas by passing on the benefit of its over-performance to the consumers.

However, due to intense lobbying and pressure from certain groups, the DERC is unlikely to spare the consumers of NDPL areas from a tariff increase.

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