NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reached out to the residents of Deoli during a padyatra on Saturday morning during which he was briefed by the locals about water crisis in the area. Accompanied by the local MLA and senior officials of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Kejriwal went from home to home and took note of the problems faced by the locals. “Very soon you will get clean drinking water in your taps. Orders have been passed to lay water pipeline in the area. The work of laying the pipeline will start in two months. It will be completed in four months time. Once the pipeline is done, you will start getting water from Sonia Vihar,” he told the people.
The demand of water is peaking as Delhi is under the grip of a severe heat wave. Two private borewells caught Kejriwal’s attention following which he ordered the DJB officials to take over the private borewells and to file FIR against theft of water in such cases. Another issue that drew Kejriwal’s attention was the presence of tanker operators in the area. “I have learnt that you are facing water problem and are buying water from private tankers.
Some people have complained that, in some cases, DJB tankers are taking money. I have been told that the DJB tankers don’t come regularly. People are forced at times to buy water from private tankers. I have given strict orders to DJB officials. From now on, no one will have to pay for water tankers. DJB will send as many tankers as required,” he said, adding that the tankers will provide water free of cost.
After speaking with the residents about the private water tanker mafia running in the area, the CM directed the DJB officials to take strong action against them. “Get hold of them. File FIRs and send them to jail.”
Kejriwal informed the people that the Delhi government had ordered 60 new borewells which would be drilled on a priority basis. He assured them that potable water will be made available to all households in the next four months once water pipelines are put in place.