DJB eyes revamp route to fill city tanks (Indian Express 27 April 2010)

The Jal Board owns 250 tankers and hires at least 600 private tankers daily to ensure supply to at least 1,600 colonies archive

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has formulated plans to cut down pilferage of potable water by water tanker mafia in the Capital.
Unable to check corruption in its ranks, the DJB is going to revamp the entire tanker supply system by introducing new technologies that will help it monitor the movement of tankers to and from various delivery points, and also put a check on wastage by leakage in tankers.
Besides supplying water through tankers to regular colonies in case of pipeline burst or shortage of water supply, the DJB is mandated to supply water tankers at 18,349 delivery points in the city. While the department owns 250 tankers, it hires at least 600 private tankers on a daily basis to ensure supply to at least 1,600 unauthorised-regularised colonies.
“We have often received complaints by residents that DJB tankers charge money for the supply and sometimes do not reach the point of delivery. There have also been complaints of our tankers supplying water to hotels and malls for extra money. With corruption prevailing in the department, it is difficult to know if the tankers are reaching the destination in the absence of a monitoring system,” a senior DJB official said.
To overcome the problem, the DJB plans to enter into a public-private partnership to revamp tanker management by introducing technological changes to tankers. These changes include biometric identification of drivers, a GPS system to monitor the tanker movement, a flow meter to account for the amount of water taken and supplied, a chlorimeter to ensure the water quality and an auto lock system to put a check on leaking tankers.
“We have invited technical bids for the project and will be able to finalise the details soon. The project should begin in three months,” Dharam Pal, DJB’s Member (Administration and Finance), told Newsline. He is spearheading the tanker revamp project.
Pal said the idea was to introduce technology in an area where human intervention has failed. “With the new system in place, we would be able to check the last route taken by the tanker driver and the flow meter would account for the amount of water taken by the tanker for delivery to be cross-checked at the various points of delivery,” he said.
“The tankers will also be fitted with an auto-lock system check the leaking tankers. We have designed the system in such a way that the tanker has six delivery outlets instead of one, so that more people can take water at a given point.”
The new system would also ensure the citizens are able to book water tankers on phone, internet and the Delhi government’s Jeevan Centres.

Storm water drain at IGI Airport gets Rs 40 crore more (Indian Express 27 April 2010)

The Delhi Cabinet has sanctioned additional funds to the tune of Rs 40 crore for the second phase of a stormwater drain to be built along the periphery of the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The first phase of the drain was built from the boundary of the airport till the Najafgarh drain. In the second phase, a drain will be made on the periphery of the airport from Mahipalpur Chowk and extended till the Najafgarh drain to address the problem of waterlogging at the airport.
Officials said the cost of the project escalated after the Indian Railways demanded Rs 23 crore as ‘way leave and supervisory charges’ as the drain crosses a railway line. Officials said only 390 metres of the drain falls under the Railways land.
“We are building the drain ourselves and yet the Railways are quoting an exorbitant amount in the name of supervisory charges,” a senior Public Works department engineer said.
The senior official revealed the Railways was quoting the exorbitant amount for the land it acquired from the Delhi Development Authority at the cost of Rs 74 lakh per acre a few months ago.
The stormwater drain earlier crossed villages like Mahipalpur, Rangpuri, Rajokari, Smalkha and Kapashera and flew towards Najafgarh drain through the airport area from Shahbad and Bagdola drain. This had aggravated the problem of waterlogging at the airport and caused disruption in its functioning.
Office near Power stationThe Delhi Cabinet also sanctioned funds for an office complex near the Indraprastha thermal power station in Central Delhi on Monday. The power station was recently decommissioned. The government had earlier given 15 acres of land belonging to the power station to the Delhi Transport Corporation for a bus depot. “This has been decided to ensure optimum utilisation of space,” Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said.

‘MAJULI TO BE MADE ECO-SENSITIVE ZONE’ (HINDU 07 APRIL 2010)

Majuli will be made eco-sensitive zone: Jairam
Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest Jairam Ramesh with Assam Forest Minister Rockybul Husain looking at a manuscripts at Uttar Kamalabari Satra in Majuli on Tuesday
MAJULI: The Union government will soon declare the world's largest river island of Majuli an eco-sensitive zone, Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday.
It will request the Bombay Natural History Society to take up a comprehensive study to suggest ways of protecting birds, fish and Ganges River Dolphins there.
To Protect Island
Mr. Ramesh said the Assam government was asked to submit a project proposal. The declaration of Majuli an eco-sensitive zone would also help protect the river island from the recurring problem of floods and erosion.
He assured full cooperation by the Centre in protection of the land mass and rich culture and heritage of the river-island.
The erosion of the river island has reached a critical stage, with the total landmass coming down from 1,256 sq.km. in 1950 to 514 sq.km. in 1990.
As per official records, the land mass is getting eroded at the rate of 7.4 sq.km. a year.
Assam Environment and Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, who accompanied Mr. Ramesh on his visit to the river island, said the State government would submit the proposal soon.
Mr. Ramesh, who made the announcement after a representation by the local residents and Satra dwellers, said the Centre would ensure that the decision would not affect the traditional livelihood of the people of the river island.
Rich bio-diversity
Making the river island an eco-sensitive zone would be the first step towards recognising the rich bio-diversity and unique eco-system of Majuli, he said, speaking to journalists after visiting Uttar Kamalabari Satra, one of the 22 old Vaishnavite monasteries, known as Satra in Assamese. He interacted with the Satradhikar (the monastery head), Janardan Deva Goswami, to learn about the cultural heritage of the Satra system.
He also inspected the library of the Satra, which boasts of a rich collection of centuries-old manuscripts.
Funds for preservation
Mr. Ramesh said the Centre had accepted the recommendation of the 13th Finance Commission for providing Rs.5 crore to the island over five years for preservation of the cultural heritage of the river island.
Earlier, he inaugurated a tourism complex on the island.

Who will save the Yamuna? (Hindustan Times 15 April 2010)

While people flocked in great numbers to Haridwar’s Ganga river in the just concluded Kumbh mela, Delhi’s Yamuna flows in quiet neglect. Pandit Sunil Kumar is among the few who remember it, every day. Every morning, Kumar takes a ritual dip in maa Yamuna’s sacred waters. A priest, Kumar has his ancestral home on a ghaat in Jamuna Bazaar, in north Delhi. The residence’s setting is idyllic. One can see the river while sitting in the courtyard. The Outer Ring Road is a mere 5-minute walk away, but there is no traffic noise here. In winter, Siberian cranes visit the place. In summer, you hear the squawking of ducks.
A short flight of stone stairs leads into the river, the water of which is blackened by Delhi’s sewage. “Since my body gets smelly after taking a dip in Jamuna I have to later take a shower under the hand-pump,” says Kumar.
Originating in the Himalayas, the river enters Delhi from the northeast, near Palla village, and after 40 kms, it leaves the Capital region from near Jaitpur village in the south. Delhi vomits 3,470 million litres of filth daily (MLD) into the river. But the city has a capacity to treat only 2.325 MLD. Till as late as 1982, the river water was safe. “Then we used to cook in its water,” says Kumar. Today you may not like to walk past it.

GOA FARMERS WON’S GIVE LAND FOR STADIUM (INDIAN EXPRESS 12 APRIL 2010)

RANAJI: Farmers of Thivim village in north Goa have refused to hand over their land to Goa Cricket Association to build a cricket stadium.
“We don’t want to host IPL. Instead give us some water so that we can sow seeds and harvest paddy,” said Uday Malwankar, a farmer. “We are forced to keep our fields barren because there is no water.”
The farmers were in Panaji on Sunday to attend a meeting convened by NGO Goa Bachao Abhiyaan to chalk out plans to ensure the land is not taken away for the stadium.
“The issue is not just of paddy fields. There is a huge forest area...More than 5,000 trees are going to be felled for this project,” said local activist Savio D’Souza.
Goa cabinet had given an in-principle approval for this project in March 2007.

Action plan for revival of rivers in Rajasthan (Hindu 12 April 2010)

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Government has devised an action plan worth Rs.32 crore for revival of rivers of the length of 1,400 km in the Hadoti region by constructing large check-dams for conservation of rain waters.
The construction of a check-dam at Haripura Manjhi on the Kalisindh river route has already started.
Laying the foundation stone for the work at Digod tehsil in Kota district over the week-end, State Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Bharat Singh said the project would bring back to life the rivers for the whole year and serve the need for both irrigation and drinking water.
The Haripura Manjhi check-dam is being built at a cost of Rs.2.19 crore.
The minister called upon the elected representatives to keep the State Government informed of the scope for water conservation works in their respective areas, as these tasks could be taken up under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
According to an official release here, the Minister felt that in addition to the flagship employment generation scheme, the corporate sector and voluntary organisations could also join the efforts for rain water harvesting and surface water conservation.
Mr. Singh said the construction of Haripura Manjhi check-dam would be completed by June-end, while the rural communities would also benefit from four small irrigation schemes sanctioned for the Sangod region.
Addressing the gathering, Kota Divisional Commissioner P. L. Agrawal said the Union Government had sanctioned Rs.45.60 crore for works at 27 distributaries of the Command Area Development canal system.

गंगा के मायके में प्यासी धरती, प्यासे लोग (हिंदुस्तान १३ अप्रैल २०१०)

समूचे गंगा के मैदान को पानी उपलब्ध करवाने वाला उत्तराखंड स्वयं प्यासा है। क्रुद्ध पर्वतवासी जन-संस्थान के दफ्तरों और अफसरों का घेराव कर रहे हैं। आंदोलनों से सरकारी मशीनरी अक्सर सक्रिय होती भी है लेकिन उसकी सक्रियता का परिणाम नगरों और कस्बों तक ही सीमित होता है। गांव प्यासे रह जाते हैं, जबकि सच्चाई यह है कि इस पर्वतीय प्रदेश की 75 प्रतिशत जनसंख्या 15,828 गांवों में निवास करती है। नगरीय इलाकों में रहने वाले प्रभावशाली लोग कई बार जल-संस्थान पर दबाव बनाकर गांवों को जाने वाली पानी की सप्लाई की दिशा भी अपने नलों की तरफ करवा देते हैं। यात्रा मार्गो पर बने होटल भी अपने प्रभाव का इस्तेमाल कर मनमाफिक पानी बटोर लेते हैं। उत्तराखंड के इन पहाड़ों का भूगोल कुछ इस तरह का है कि गांव पहाड़ों की चोटियों पर ही आबाद हुए। गहरी घाटी में जहां गंगा बहती है, वहां गंगा-तट पर गांव बसने लायक समतल जमीन उपलब्ध नहीं रही। लेकिन लोग पहाड़ों की इन चोटियों पर यों ही नहीं बसे। वे वहीं बसे जहां आस-पास कहीं प्राकृतिक जल-स्त्रोत मौजूद रहा हो। गदेरे, प्रपात, धारे और नौले इन प्राकृतिक स्त्रोतों में शामिल हैं। पिछले दो-तीन दशकों में जंगलों के विनाश, तापमान में बढ़ोतरी, भूगर्भीय हलचलों और अन्यान्य कारणों से अधिसंख्य प्राकृतिक जल-स्त्रोत या तो सूख गए हैं अथवा उनका पानी प्रदूषित होकर पीने योग्य नहीं रहा। ऐसे में ग्रामीण लोगों की जल-संस्थान की पाइप लाइनों पर निर्भरता बढ़ गई है। पाइप लाइनों में भी इतना पानी नहीं है कि वह ऊंचे इलाकों तक पहुंचने के लिए दबाव बना सके। अपेक्षाकृत कम ऊंचाई पर बसे नगरीय इलाकों के अवैध पम्प रही-सही जल की मात्र को भी गांवों तक नहीं पहुंचने दे रहे हैं।पिछले कुछ सालों से जल-संस्थान ने पहाड़ों में हैण्डपम्प लगाने की शुरुआत की है, लेकिन हैण्डपम्प का लाभ भी मोटर-मार्ग से जुड़े इलाकों को ही मिल पाता है। दुर्गम इलाकों तक बोरिंग मशीन ढोना संभव नहीं है।एशिया का वाटर टावर कहलाने वाले उत्तराखंड के इस पर्वतीय भू-भाग से भागीरथी, अलकनंदा, मंदाकिनी, नंदाकिनी, पिण्डर, टौन्स, यमुना, काली, नयार, भिलंगना, सरयू और रामगंगा जैसी बड़ी नदियां गुजरती हैं। बावजूद इसके पहाड़ प्यासा है तो इसके लिए हमारे सरकारी तंत्र की अदूरदर्शिता और कंजूस प्रवृत्ति भी जिम्मेदार है। नदियों से पानी पम्पों के द्वारा खींचकर एकत्रित करने और फिर वितरित करने की योजनाएं सरकार को हमेशा खर्चीली लगती रही हैं। उच्च हिमालयी शिखरों से उतरने वाले गदेरों और प्रपातों के जल को संग्रहित करने के लिए सरकारी एजेंसियों ने बड़े-बड़े टैंकों का निर्माण किया। उच्च इलाकों में बनाए गए इन टैंकों के पानी को तमाम निचले इलाकों में नलों का जाल बिछाकर बांटा जाता रहा। अब यह प्राकृतिक स्त्रोत सूखने लगे हैं तो सरकार भी हाथ खड़े करने की मुद्रा में आ गई है। वह दावा करती है कि प्राकृतिक जल स्त्रोतों को रिचार्ज करने की व्यवस्था की जाएगी। यह दावा ही अपने आप में हास्यास्पद है। जो व्यवस्था सामने बहती गंगा का पानी ऊपर लिफ्ट करवाने में आनाकानी करती हो वह व्यवस्था इन प्राकृतिक स्नोतों के सैकड़ों मील दूर, उच्च हिमालयी शिखरों पर स्थित उद्गमों पर फिर से पानी रिचार्ज कर देगी- इस बात पर कैसे विश्वास किया जा सकता है?श्रीनगर (गढ़वाल) से पौड़ी पानी पहुंचाने की योजना पर पूरे डेढ़ दशक तक कछुआ चाल से काम होता रहा। अब यह योजना क्रियान्वित की जा चुकी है लेकिन पौड़ी नगर आज भी पानी के लिए तरस रहा है। दरअसल, गंगा के पानी को लिफ्ट करने के लिए आज तक कभी गंभीरता से सोचा ही नहीं गया। पहाड़ों में कहावत प्रचलित है कि यहां का पानी और जवानी कभी यहां के काम नहीं आते। पानी पहाड़ों की मिट्टी को काटता मैदानों की तरफ चला जाता है और यहां के नवयुवक गांव छोड़कर शहरों की तरफ चले जाते हैं। इस कहावत में दम है। हालिया परिसीमन आयोग की रिपोर्ट स्पष्ट संकेत देती है कि पहाड़ में गांव के गांव पिछले तीन दशकों में खाली हो गए हैं। पृथक राज्य गठन के बाद यानी बीते एक दशक में ही 59 गांव पूरी तरह मनुष्यविहीन हो गए हैं। शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य, परिवहन और रोजगार के अवसरों के घोर अभाव के बाद अब पानी की किल्लत भी मनुष्यों के पलायन का कारण बन रही है। टिहरी जिले की हिण्डोलाखाल पट्टी और रुद्रप्रयाग जिले की नागनाथ पोखरी वाले इलाके में दर्जन भर गांव केवल पानी के अभाव के चलते खाली हो गए हैं। सामरिक दृष्टि से बेहद संवेदनशील इस पर्वतीय प्रदेश के सीमांत गांवों का खंडहरों में बदलना सामान्य घटना नहीं कही जा सकती, खासकर तब तो बिल्कुल भी नहीं जबकि हमारा पड़ोसी सीमा तक रेल ले आया हो।लेखक स्वतंत्र पत्रकार हैं