Getting water will be made a ‘right’, AAP assures Delhi

As Assembly election fever heats up in Delhi, the key parties — BJP, AAP and Congress — are promising cheaper power tariffs and regular water supply.

On Tuesday, the AAP released a white paper on Delhi’s water situation, promising to ensure free lifeline water of up to 20 kilolitre to each household with metered water connection — a step it had implemented during its 49-day rule.

Citizens without metered connections will be provided universal access to clean drinking water.

The party also promised tough steps to eliminate the water mafia, regulation of private tankers, operationalising of water treatment plants in Dwarka, Bawana and Okhla among others.

Opposing the privatisation of Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the pilot of which is already underway in select areas, the AAP said if voted to power, it will order a performance audit of the private contracts.

“The pricing policy of AAP shall remain public-friendly,” the party said, adding that it would make tariff hike changes need-based and abolish the mandatory annual 10 per cent hike.

Delhi largely depends on external resources, such as the Ganga, Yamuna, Indus basins and internal aquifers. “These sources are fast getting depleted due to the ever accelerating demand of 1.8 crore people,” said the paper, adding about 50 lakh people who do not get piped water in their homes, depend on tankers, borewells and so on.

Calling for a “complete transformation” of its water situation, the AAP outlined a blueprint to provide clean and regular water supply to all Delhi citizens by amending the Delhi Jal Board Act to make this a right.

In another warning to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, the Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday sent yet another notice to him for ‘repeated violation” of the model code of conduct.

On an email complaint lodged by one KC Mittal and another one by Delhi BJP’s Mahender Gupta, the Commission took note of Kejriwal’s speech aired on TV channels in which he urged voters to accept money from other political parties but vote for the AAP.

The EC has asked him to “desist from making these utterances in all forms of election campaign.”