Consumers who fall within the Delhi Jal Board's service area and are in the billing net should get water for least an hour-and-a-half every day, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit instructed the water utility on Wednesday. Ms. Dikshit, who is also the Chairperson of the Board, chaired a meeting of the DJB officials, issuing terse instructions to improve the service and focus on equitable distribution of water.
The meeting comes in the wake of a surge in complaints about the quantity and the quality of water from across the city.
“The Chief Minister asked the Jal Board officials, particularly the chief engineers to concentrate on ensuring equitable supply of drinking water across Delhi. They were also instructed to ensure supply of drinking water for a period of one and half hour in all localities coming under the network of the DJB piped water supply,” said an official of the Delhi Government.
In an attempt to placate consumers who have been protesting against the reduction in supply and complaining against the quality of water, the Chief Minister has asked for daily monitoring of the samples, putting out the results in the public domain and ensuring that tankers are available for areas with no supply.
“Ms. Dikshit said supply of water is crucial, keeping in view the extreme summer season. No one should be deprived of drinking water. She stressed the need for immediate complaint redress and directed that all complaint offices must be manned by senior-most officers round the clock,” the official said.
Taking note of the complaints about the non-availability of tankers and the problems faced by consumers who have to purchase more expensive water from private tankers in the absence of water from the DJB, Ms. Dikshit has asked the Jal Board officials to speed up on the installation of GPS facility on tankers.
She also asked the officials to supervise tanker system to ensure that tankers are available on specified routes and on specific time. “She said there should be zero tolerance on diversion of tankers. Any violation of scheduled timeframe of deployment of tankers should not be tolerated and the employees responsible for the digressions should be straightway dismissed. Ms. Dikshit said consumers who have not been getting water supply have every right to call for the tanker and the DJB is morally bound to ensure supply through tankers immediately,” the official said.
The Chief Minister, who has been at the receiving end of consumer's indignation over poor water supply and quality, has also asked the DJB officials to put in “extra efforts during next two-three months” so that “no tangible complaint” is received.
The Jal Board has been asked to come out with the test results of water quality everyday. “She felt it is the need of the hour to disseminate figures related to samples tested in the labs to establish the quality of drinking water and that it is fit for drinking,” the official said. The DJB must work to set up a benchmark to prove its competence of providing drinking water to all citizens in the city, the Chief Minister said.
The Jal Board has been asked to ensure the complete operation of water treatment plants and recycling plants for the maximum generation of water. Officials have been asked to crack the whip against illegal tapping and to disconnect illegal connections. “The CM asked the officials to take action against illegal tapping and take the help of police wherever necessary. They have been asked to keep the local MLAs and Councillors informed. Chief engineers have also been asked to inspect underground reservoirs and tanker filling stations on a daily basis,” the official said.
The Chief Minister has also instructed to streamline the revenue management system and sort out discrepancies in bills being issued.
The power distribution companies have been asked to provide power through alternative sources to all WTPs if needed.
