In the wake of the National Human Rights Commission's action in asking Delhi Jal Board chairman and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to explain the measures being taken to supply potable drinking water in the city in the wake of the water contamination controversy, the BJP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi also hit out at the State Government on Tuesday.
MCD Leader of House Subhash Arya said: “The MCD is already concerned about the ill-effects of dirty water on the health of Delhiites and now the NHRC has also expressed its concern over the fact. The Commission has stated clearly that it is the right of the citizens to get clean drinking water and it is the responsibility of the Government to provide clean drinking water to them. The Delhi Government has completely failed in fulfilling its responsibility.”
The MCD on Tuesday said its health department on its own and jointly with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has been taking samples of water and apprising the DJB about the findings.
Mr. Arya said: “Dr. V.K. Monga, chairman of MCD Medical Relief and Public Health Committee, has been time and again updating the Delhi Chief Minister on the outcome of these samples. However, he has not yet got a reply. On the ground level, it is amply clear that no concrete action has been taken as the report shows.”
He also stated that of the 4,816 water samples taken by the MCD in the joint survey in the current year, dirty water was found in 315 samples. “There is a signature of DJB officials on the joint survey. In this regard, the statement by the DJB that it is not aware about supply of dirty water is nothing but shirking from its responsibility. The MCD also provides information to the department concerned when the sample of drinking water is found to be dirty,” he added.
Mr. Arya said: “We had also informed the DJB about 642 pipelines that run cutting nullahs. Of them, only seven pipelines have been repaired. Besides this, the DJB was also provided with the list of 23 cases of water leakages. However, only seven of them have been repaired and nothing concrete done on the remaining 16 pipelines so far. The MCD is tasked with maintenance of storm water drains of up to four feet. Whenever samples of drinking water are taken and the levels of dirty water found, it is only of the sewer mixed water.”
He went on to state that people residing in unauthorised and unauthorised regularised resettlement colonies have put their sewer lines in storm water drains, which is an illegal activity. “All this is the responsibility of the Chief Minister and she must rectify this without any delay,” he added.
