Arvind Kejriwal alleges scam of over Rs 10,000cr in Delhi Jal Board
NEW DELHI: A day after he caused a furor with charges of corruption within Delhi’s power distribution companies, Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday alleged a scam of more than Rs 10,000 crore in Delhi Jal Board. At the first of his 51 public meetings scheduled for the coming two weeks, Kejriwal accused the government of being hand-in-glove with private companies.
“The Sonia Vihar water treatment plant is being operated by French company Degremont. They claim to be supplying 140 million gallons per day while the raw water supply to the plant is just 90 MGD. The government is also paying them for 140 MGD. How can they possibly manufacture an extra 50 MGD,” he asked.
“With 90 MGD raw water, they would be managing to clean about 80-85 MGD, which is what they would be supplying. To explain what is happening to the non-existent 50-55 MGD, they told the government that the water was being lost in transit due to leaking pipes. Instead of questioning this malpractice, the government gave the same company the contract to change pipelines and collect bills,” he said. Kejriwal also spoke about the Nangloi WTP, which is also being handed over to a private company. “The company will not pay for raw water or power etc because the government will take care of these expenses. Despite this, it will be paid Rs 15/kl for treatment and distribution, a job being carried out by DJB at present for Rs 5/kl.”
The Najafgarh meeting was attended by about 500 people. Kejriwal’s focus seems to be on corruption within the government. He said, had privatization improved efficiency, prices of services would have come down. Instead, “prices of everything from power to water and cooking gas have risen manifold since private players were brought in.”
DJB, meanwhile, denied all the allegations. In a statement it said: “The Sonia Vihar Treatment Plant receives 270 cusecs (more than 140 MGD) raw water from UP. However, pending the signing of an MoU for Sonia Vihar payments are being made to UP for 90 MGD.”
Regarding the Nangloi WTP, DJB said the private contractor is not being paid more than what it costs the jal board to produce and supply water. “The treatment of water costs DJB Rs15.43 per kilolitre. The contract awarded for Nangloi, through an open and transparent bidding process, is at Rs14.99 per kilolitre billed and collected. This includes all operation and maintenance costs (excluding power and raw water) and return on investment of 30% required to extend piped water supply to all households in the service area and maintain continuous supply with pressure to reach up to the third floor. The operator has been incentivized to reduce commercial and physical losses and will be paid only for water billed and collected.”