HC pulls up DJB on lack of water supply to Budh Vihar Phase-II

The Delhi High Court today pulled up DJB for failing to apprise it as to why the civic body was not supplying adequate water to Budh Vihar Phase-II in Rohini despite receiving water from Haryana via the Munak canal.
"Where is the munak canal water going?" a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Siddharth Mridul asked the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
The court issued a notice to DJB and Delhi government seeking their responses to why water cannot be supplied to the area through the pipelines laid there six years back instead of giving water through tankers.
DJB has taken the stand that supply through pipelines requires more water as compared to tankers.

It has also said the underground reservoir at sector 23, Rohini does not have the capacity to cater to needs of Budh Vihar Phase-II and water will have to be provided from the reservoir at Bawana which is still under construction.
The court, however, was not satisfied with DJB's stand and observed "you have to give them adequate water not drops."

It listed the matter for further hearing on December 18.
During the proceedings, the court wondered whether DJB and Delhi government were in collusion with Haryana to not provide water to the national capital after the civic agency said there are still some hiccups with respect to release of water into the Munak CLC.

DJB was also rapped by the court for taking the defence that Budh Vihar Phase-II is an unauthorized colony.
"Are you saying since it is an unauthorized colony, the people there can die of thirst?" the bench said.
The court was hearing a plea filed by a society on behalf of residents of Budh Vihar Phase-II who have claimed the state government has "miserably failed to provide potable drinking water to residents of 11 colonies in the area".
Sarthak Prayas Welfare Society, in its plea filed through advocate Avadh Kaushik, has contended that the rest of Rohini is supplied water from Avantika undeground reservoir while they have to depend on water tankers.