The Delhi Government is going to start supplying ‘guaranteed’ potable water directly from the taps in the Capital from February. The announcement was made by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday during a Press conference, regarding the achievements of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in the past two years of their Government.
“It is the first time in the country that any State will provide guaranteed potable water directly running from the taps. No State is able to do it so far,” Sisodia claimed.
The Minister said the pilot test will start in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area and then gradually would be launched across the city.
“We are going to launch the pilot scheme from this month. It is the dream of our Government to provide fresh and potable water to people without any hassle,” Sisodia said.
Water Minister Kapil Mishra counting the achievements of DJB, said that in the past two years, the Government has provided 20 kiloliters free water up to a month to the citizens from March 2015.
“This has benefited around 12,50,000 consumers including residents of co-operative group housing societies,” he said, adding that, DJB has also managed to increase its revenue by `178 crore.
“When our Government came, the Oppositions criticised us for giving freebies to people when 100 per cent old arrear of water bill was waived off for the consumers. But it was because of this move that people started paying their fresh water bills and today our total revenue is in crores,” Mishra said.
Mishra said that through liberalised scheme launched for regularisation of unauthorised water connections, the citizens who were earlier charged around `14,000 to regularise a water connection has now been reduced to `3,310. While the limit of 6 water connections in one premises has been increased to 10.
The water Minister further said that during the last 2 years, 633 kms of new water pipelines have been laid in Delhi, while water supply in 309 unauthorised colonies were released in the last two years and sewer in 33 colonies.
“Also, 311 kms of old and rusted water lines have been replaced during this period to improve the water supply and avoid contamination. Apart from that 250 new departmental stainless water tankers in addition to hired 407 stainless steel tankers and 300 MS tankers, have been deployed in water deficient areas. We have also installed GPS in 450 additional tankers, so that people can keep track of their water supply,” Mishra said.
Talking about Yamuna cleaning, Mishra said they have toed up with an Israeli company to clean up the river through ecological methods.
“Quantity of water supply from rainy wells and tube wells in Yamuna river flood plain has been increased by 15 MGD. The work on the `200 crore Yamuna riverfront development project will also soon get underway. The project will be placed before the cabinet soon,” Mishra said.
On Sewage treatment plants, the water minister said that the work of construction of 70 mgd STP at Coronation has been awarded and taken up for construction at site.
“This is the largest plant in Delhi which will treat sewage to high standards. The treated effluent of such high quality will be used partly for non-potable and remaining in river which will improve quality of river water,” he said.