Private tankers make a killing

NEW DELHI: The capital’s water woes have only worsened with people in more areas complaining of erratic water supply and irregular delivery of DJB tankers. Private water suppliers, meanwhile, are making the most of the crisis.
“The supply barely lasts for about 15-20 minutes on an average and the timing is not fixed,” said Geetanjali Saxena, vice-president, Vasant Vihar RWA.“The blocks at the tail-end get water at insufficient pressure and some streets of A Block have not received supply for 6-8 months now,” she added.
Some residents feel the situation is much worse than last year. “Cashing in on the shortage, private tankers charge around Rs 2,000 for 1,000 litres in some areas, said another resident, Samir Bhagat.
DJB tankers aren’t much help either. “Supply from tankers is dependent on how much one is ready to shell out. Workers demand money to supply water beyond 10 minutes,” alleged Saxena. We have requested our area MLA to undertake an Underground Reservoir (UGR) project. That should help,” she said.
“A tanker takes about four days to arrive and the water gets distributed among select residents. Private tankers charge exorbitantly but they are our only option,” said Ekta Singh, a resident of Chattarpur.
In Vasant Kunj, the situation is even worse because of the uneven terrain. “The blocks located at the bottom of a slope do not get supply at sufficient pressure,” said V N Masaldan, a resident of B-9 extension, which has two out of the four blocks facing acute water shortage.
As a temporary solution, residents of Chattarpur have installed a system that supplies tube well water to their homes.
“Around 20,000 people depend on 13 tube wells. We have employed a private operator to maintain the water supply at our own expenses,” said Ompal Singh Ahlawat, president, Chattarpur RWA. However, at times the water supply from tube wells is contaminated. “The water is not clear and has a foul smell,” said Meena Dhillon, a resident.