The New Delhi Municipal Committee (ndmc) proposes to set up its own gas-based power plant and water treatment plant at a cost of Rs 100 crore to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity and water to the 4,200 hectare vvip area in the capital that come under its jurisdiction. This is apparently in response to threats held out by Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana to put these areas on par with others with regard to electricity and water supply, in view of the perennial power crisis in Delhi.

Says ndmc administrator Baleshwar Rai, "The proposal has been sent to the Central Electricity Authority (cea), which will prepare a project report for which ndmc has already advanced Rs 2 lakh. No Central assistance will be required. A plot of land near the Chanakyapuri railway station has been chosen for the project." cea officials confirm that they have received the proposal. "However, the area of land available will not be sufficient to locate a power plant. Moreover, getting clearance from the ministry of environment and forests (mef) will be difficult," says cea chief engineer M G Jain. "There is no question of giving environmental clearance to a power project in the heart of the city," concurs a joint director at the mef.