With summer round the corner, Delhi government is all set to reduce fees for new water connections to avoid corruption and a crackdown on water tanker mafia to ensure adequate water supply to citizens. Moreover, a multi-pronged action plan is in the anvil, Water Minister Pravesh Sahib Singh said on Thursday. The plan includes improving water distribution water system, change in system for water supply through tankers, reducing fees for new water supply connections to reduce corruption and management of underground water reservoirs (UGR).

Directing officials during the meeting to implement the measures on the same line, he also said there are some specific plans to handle various issues which were left untouched by the previous AAP governments. On water distribution management system, he said many of the areas in Delhi are facing an acute shortage of water supply. These areas even do not get a piped water supply for more than a few minutes. At the same time some other areas get several hours of water supply.

The Minister instructed Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials to immediately look into this matter. Instruction is clear that the management of water supply should be more equitable for all the areas.

As regards change in system for the water supply through tankers, he said many parts of the national capital are still dependent on them. He directed cancellation of all the existing tenders for the water tankers.

Minister observed that there is massive corruption involved in the supply of water through these tankers and water Mafia was active during the earlier AAP regime. There was hardly any accountability for the movement of tankers as GPS systems have gone missing from most of these tankers. Now through the new system the number of trips by a single tanker will be doubled. Government has ordered that the tankers will supply water in two shifts rather than the existing one. Every tanker will be monitored online and the department and the local MLA can check the position of these tankers through a dashboard. While conducting the review meeting with the DJB staff, the minister found there is an inherent corrupt system which is in place for providing fresh water connection to the new consumers. The area based water connection charges are too high and therefore people avoid taking authorised connection. He asked the officers to work on new charges so that people will be encouraged to take legal connections. According to an official data, the minister said “While there are more than 50 Lakh electricity connections in Delhi the number of water connections are almost 20 Lakhs. Which means residents are consuming water without a valid connection”. The government will reduce the connection charges and tell the people to apply for a water connection and if they won’t then penalty will be applicable on the defaulters.

Delhi has multiple UGRs which store water and then piped water supply is given to different areas and households. The Minister has ordered a complete assessment of the revenue water through these UGRs. The amount of water outflow from these reservoirs and how much revenue it is generating. A report has been sought by the minister to identify the gap between outflow and the water which is being metered. In case of mismatch the concerned officials will be told to plug the leakage to provide a better water supply to the consumers.

During his review meeting the minister got complaints from areas like old Delhi about the non-working tubewells. Minister immediately asked the officers to work on such tubewells to make them operational immediately. Even a project related to the Chandrawal water treatment plant is incomplete. The minister has set a new deadline of June 2027 for its completion. Once ready the Chandrawal WTP will cater 11% of Delhi’s water requirement.

Earlier, government used to complain regularly over the Yamuna water share. The Minister confirmed that there is no problem what so ever with the neighbouring Haryana. The state is providing us the share of Delhi assembly mandated and if required we will ask for an additional supply from the state as well to meet the increased demand.