Nobody to check, pvt tankers thrive (The Times of India 16 June 2012)

New Delhi: The city’s private water tankers operate in an absolutely grey area. Functioning without licences and supplying essentially groundwater, Delhi Jal Board and civic agencies say these tankers are illegal but since nobody has the authority to regulate them, no action is ever taken against them.

“The only people who can take stiff action are deputy commissioners of the nine districts. No one is allowed to extract groundwater without DJB’s permission. All other sources of water also belong to DJB. There is no licensing system either. The fact that these tankers are supplying water without any permission automatically makes them illegal,” said government sources.

Despite this, private tankers continue to operate without any hitch. In fact, they thrive on DJB’s inability to ensure proper supply of water. While DJB’s own tankers can take days to respond, private tankers are usually at one’s doorsteps in a matter of hours. Be ready to shell out a bomb though for what should otherwise be free supply. ‘We have paid up to Rs 2,000 to private tankers for 1,000 litres. This is the rate in summer months or at times of acute shortage,” said Bharat Singh of Vasant Kunj.

Kishan Verma of Mohan Garden added that in the Uttam Nagar constituency, DJB staff has 33 tankers under them but at any given point, there is always a shortage of tankers as only six operate. “We have no idea what happens to the other tankers. Each time we try and book a tanker the staff tells us that unless a recommendation is produced from the MLA office, we won’t be entitled to a tanker,” said Verma.

In Palam Colony too, residents have complained that DJB officials are hand in glove with private players. “Officials have acknowledged that the water is being sold but they have not been able to do anything about it,” said a resident.

In south and southwest Delhi, dipping levels of groundwater are another major reason for worry. With officials now a little more strict about illegal extraction of water, one can find private tankers lined up along Mehrauli at the dead of night to extract water from illegal borewells. Colonies like Sangam Vihar and near Sarita Vihar are major spots where the private tanker business flourishes.

“We have had complaints of diversions and money taking. Officials have been instructed to check one water emergency each day. In random checks carried out between June 7 and June 15, contracts of 31 private tankers were suspended and a penalty of over Rs 4.6 lakh was imposed on tanker operators,” said a DJB official.

A property dealer who was going through a financial crisis has been arrested for posing as a goon and demanding a sum of Rs 50 lakh from a builder in Dwarka. The businessman was previously involved in a SSC paper leak, police said. The accused, identified as Krishan Dahiya (40), is a resident of Palam Colony and was arrested following the complaint of Kanwal Kumar, abuilder based in Janakpuri, cops said.