Delhi’s water ‘woes’ turning into ‘wars’

By Ananya Bhatnagar

New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) Each day as the sun rises in South Delhis Neb Sarai, an un-authorised colony of the capital city, every household in the area goes to 'war' for water.

A colony, having underground water as its key source and bore wells the only means to draw it, is facing a major crisis as the groundwater levels are depleting at an alarming rate of 10cm per year.

"A major chunk of the households in the colony still lacks a piped supply of water while the ones having the supply do not receive adequate supply of water," said Shweta Singh, a local resident.

"We have a connection of the Delhi Jal Board but it has been two months and we haven't received a single drop of water through its supply," said Ankita Das.

At a time when the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is all set to roll out the Master Plan for 2041, water remains one of the major issues in several areas of Delhi, especially southern parts, which needs to be addressed.

"We receive water only once a day and have to rely on water tankers and Bisleri bottles for our supplies of water. The DJB is really slow in processing connection request and does not act accordingly," said another resident who wished not to be named.

The AAP government recently announced that after due deliberations with the Modi government these colonies would be soon regularised/authorised.

At a press conference recently, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Centre should allow registry of properties in unauthorised colonies at the earliest,

Kejriwal added that the government should start using satellite images to fix boundaries in these colonies.

He also said that in the first phase, 1,797 unauthorised colonies will be regularised while the remaining ones would be taken care of in the second phase.

"We have accepted the Centre's conditions to regularise these colonies. We have also sent our 12 suggestions to the Centre," Kejriwal said.

"Regularisation would only result in the change in property rates. These might benifit the property dealers but what about the living standards? What about the basic infrastructural needs? Who will fulfil them?" said Shubhang Chaturvedi, a local resident.

"Ownership rights can solely not solve all problems. The major issue in our colonies is the lack of basic necessities like proper drainage and water supply. This is not because of un authorisation but is actually the result of massive failure of the civic bodies," said Radhika, a housewife residing in the area.