Miles to go before they fulfil electoral promises

Not easy to cut power tariff, give water, say ex-officials

The AAP government will face a testing time in its initial phase in office as former bureaucrats and experts are sceptical of the possibility of it being able to deliver on its promises, including slashing 50 percent off power tariff and providing 700 litres of drinkable water to every household daily.

Former Delhi Power Secretary Shakti Sinha said Kejriwal’s claim of slashing power
tariff by 50 per cent is not feasible.

“If the government wants, it can do anything but for slashing power tariff they have to shell out more money for subsidy as it is not feasible. If they want to provide subsidy on power tariff they may curtail their expenses on roads, schools, hospitals, unauthorised colonies or other major issues. But slashing power tariff to 50 per cent without providing subsidy is legally and financially not possible,” he said.

Former Chief Secretary of Delhi Omesh Saigal also said power tariff cannot be slashed to 50 per cent.

“It is not feasible. I don’t think the accounts of discoms can be emptied to that extend,” he said.

The reason behind the denial of former bureaucrats is the poor power production in the city. Delhi is totally depended on other states and central power sector systems for its requirements.

Even after commissioning of two major power plants in Bawana and Bamnauli, he city’s power generation hovers around 1,200 megawatt per day, the same as it was seven years ago. Both plants are not working to their full capacity due to lack of fuel.

Raising question on AAP’s claim of providing free 700 litres of water to every household daily, Saigal said, “It is not possible for long or short term. Thirty per cent of Delhiites are not getting piped water. In many areas people depend on water tankers and water distribution in the city is uneven. If they tone down it a little bit then they may get about 100 litres daily for free.”

The ever growing population of Delhi needs more over 1,000 million gallons per day (MGD) of water, but the Delhi Jal Board provides hardly 834 MGD from all of its resources. At least three water treatment plants in capital are not functional due to non-availability of 80 MGD that was supposed to come from neighbouring Haryana after commissioning of Munak Canal.