Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Monday demanded that complaints of contaminated water in New Friends Colony be addressed within 48 hours, and also asked the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for a compliance report on the matter. Exemplary action would be taken against officers to ensure there is no laxity in the future, Atishi said.
“It is the responsibility of the DJB to ensure that every resident in Delhi gets clean and adequate water. DJB CEO should ensure that the problem of contaminated water is resolved within 48 hours and also give a compliance report on the same,” she said. “
Strong and exemplary action would be taken against concerned officers to ensure there was no laxity in the future in ensuring clean water to all residents of Delhi,” the water minister said in her communiqué expressing her displeasure to DJB. The minister said Heads must be rolled if residents of Delhi are getting dirty water.
In a related development, a section of Delhi Jal Board contractors association went on a strike on Monday over non-payment of dues, its general secretary Vinay Mangla said and claimed that around 1,150 contractors will halt their work until payments are made to everyone. “It is an open-ended strike and we are expecting it to go on for a week,” he said.
The Delhi Jal Board Contractors Welfare Association had written to the additional chief engineer mentioning that the contractors would stop all ongoing works due to non-payment of funds. “After detailed deliberations and finding no option, it was unanimously decided that all ongoing works related to water leakages, water contamination, maintenance of water supply, settled sewerage system, maintenance of sewerage system, operation of tube wells and pumping stations, providing sewer beldars, engagement of labours and de-silting work will be stopped from November 27,” the letter read. DJB Vice-Chairman Somnath Bharti said the Delhi Government has been doing everything possible to ensure the release of funds for the board for the last three months.
Meanwhile, Water supply in several areas, including Rohini, will be affected from Wednesday to Thursday due to a shutdown for interconnection of the water main at the Keshopur drain and the Peeragarhi Chowk, the DJB said. Residents have been advised to store sufficient water according to requirement, and water tankers will be available on request, the board said in a post on X.
“Due to shutdown for interconnection at Keshopur drain and Peeragarhi Chowk (Rohtak Road) from 10 am to 10 pm on November 29, the water supply in several colonies/areas will not be available/will be available at low pressure from the evening of November 29 to morning November 30,” the DJB said. The “affected areas are - Rohini Sector- 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 22, 23 and 25, Madhuban chowk, Mangolpuri, Sultanpuri, Paschim Vihar, Major Bhupender Singh Nagar, Mahavir Nagar, Krishna Park, Janakpuri and their adjoining areas”, it said.
