All slums, unauthorised colonies, and villages in the national capital will get legal individual water connections by the end of 2017, the Aam Aadmi Party government announced on Monday.
These slums will get water under ‘jal adhikar’ , a new connection category brought by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
Calling it a “historic” decision, Water Minister Kapil Mishra said that the work for laying pipelines has already been started and it will be completed by December 2017. According to DJB's estimation, there are about 500 slums and unauthorised localities that will benefit from this scheme.
“Water is a basic right which should be provided to everyone. The scheme will curb illegal tapping of water by those who cannot avail it. This is a historic decision taken by our government,” Mishra told reporters.
Currently these colonies are being supplied water through community tapping, which means that water comes at a fixed tap for some time and the dwellers have to collect it from there.
Legal connections
Besides the unauthorised colonies, the scheme will also be extended to villages and to people living on rent who do not have ownership of the property and were earlier unable to get a water connection. Now they can avail legal connections by showing any proof of their residence in the property.
“The board has drawn a leaf out of ‘Electricity Act, 2003’, and recognised the need to grant water connections to prospective consumers irrespective of their residential status.
Denial of legal connection to an applicant not only increases Non revenue water (NRW) but also damages the pipelines because of the unscientific tappings,” he said.
These decisions were taken in the 128th board meeting of the DJB, chaired by Mishra, on Monday.
Other measures announced after the meeting include giving 100 per cent rebate in late payment surcharge to all commercial consumers till November 30.
Such consumers will now be required to pay only the principal amount. Further, additional sewer charges on commercial connections have been waived off for many small hotels and restaurants.
Mishra also announced that all DJB properties will have solar plants installed. A total of 16 MW of energy will be produced and consumed by the water utility.
He also said that the DJB has decided to create three dedicated divisions to execute the work of rejuvenation of water bodies. These will be headed by three executive engineers.
Published 30 August 2016, 09:52 IST