Says river’s catchment area is fragile and falls under Zone V seismic belt

Citing the fragility and seismic nature of the Yamuna catchment as one of the reasons for not going ahead with the construction of dams, a Delhi-based non-government organisation, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, has written to the Planning Commission to refrain from funding construction of the proposed Lakhwar Byasi hydroelectric dam project over the river.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has found deficiencies in supply of potable water in the city. In its recent report, the CAG has pointed out that the raw water available in Delhi is not sufficient to provide potable water to the whole population as per the prescribed norms.

“Two dams were proposed on the Yamuna in 1994 to augment the raw water in Delhi, but were not constructed even after a lapse of 18 years after incurring an expenditure of Rs.214 crore. The production of potable water at water treatment plants and waste water recycling plants was also found to be below the designed capacity,” the CAG noted.

Though they have most basic amenities, sanitation is missing

Slum residents have better access to drinking water and electricity than their counterparts in the urban non-slum areas, claims a report on ‘Housing Stock, Amenities and Assets in Slums’ released here on Thursday. The report also says the number of slums in the country has declined. The first-of-its-kind survey, based on Houselisting and Housing Census 2011 conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, has revealed that slum residents have most basic amenities like drinking water and electricity and even facilities like mobile phones, internet and private vehicles: the only service missing is sanitation.

Keeping in sight the pivotal role of water and power in an election year, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit presenting the Delhi budget in the State Assembly on Wednesday promised an augmented power and water supply.

She announced that her government will pursue the release of the additional 80 MGD of water through the Munak canal that is being withheld by Haryana and push for early commencement of work related to the construction of the Renuka dam, which is expected to alleviate Delhi’s water woes. Ms. Dikshit said though the project has been declared a national project, work has been held up in the absence of clearances from the Ministry of Environment.

Apex court specifies that air, water, sea and forests cannot be with private sector

A social republic like India cannot have water in private ownership and deny the citizens their right to quality water at affordable prices, said Justice Rajinder Sachar here on Tuesday, criticising the Delhi Government’s move to undertake three public-private partnership projects in the city. Speaking at a conference on “Water Privatisation: Learning from India and International Experiences”, Justice Sachar said: “There is nothing above the Constitution.

The Delhi Jal Board has advocated a rating system for water-using appliances similar to the one that is used to denote energy efficiency for an electrical appliance.

Faced with an acute shortage of parking bays near the CGO complex on Lodhi Road, which has in its perimeter several office complexes, the Union Urban Development Ministry has proposed a multi-level parking with commercial spaces that can be let out.

The proposal, which will be put forth before the Union Cabinet for its approval, envisages letting out space to commercial establishments like restaurants and shops to raise funds for the construction.

Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, who is known to have an eye for design and detail, is not pleased with the slapdash and sloppy finishing work seen in most government owned buildings and wants India to borrow from China where construction work is known for its flawlessness.

On Tuesday the Minister disapprovingly mentioned how little attention is paid to the “finishing” of the construction that consequently results in “building paint overlapping the woodwork and the polish on the woodwork getting on to the paint”.

The Capital is set to lose nearly 400 MW of power starting midnight on Monday as the NHPC, NTPC and PGCIL have decided to regulate power supply to discom BSES for non-payment of dues.

Powergrid through its regulation notice dated February 11 has informed of a 100 per cent curtailment of power supply to BRPL and BYPL from identified inter-State stations except from Dadri to BRPL. BYPL will lose around 260 MW of power while BYPL stands to lose 160 MW. The power plants from where Delhi will lose out on its allocated share include Singrauli, Rihand-I, Rihand-II, Dadri-II, Chamera-I and Chamera-II.

BSES had until February 10 to pay its dues

Power producer NTPC has announced that it will suspend supply to power distribution company BSES starting midnight of February 13 for non-payment of dues. The move will severely impact supply of power in East, West and South Delhi. The NTPC had given BSES until February 10 to pay its dues, failing which power supply would be suspended.