The Delhi Jal Board, led by its chairperson Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, undertook a two-day programme this past week to highlight how a public-private partnership (PPP) programme being launched in Nangloi will bring round-the-clock water to each doorstep in the area and dismissed concerns that the water supply system was being privatised. PPP pilot project in three areas The water utility has proposed to outsource water distribution and revenue collection on a pilot basis in three areas based on a PPP model. Speaking to consumers on the concluding day of the programme this past week, Ms. Dikshit compared the proposed Nangloi project, wherein a private company will be made responsible for the distribution and supply of the Nangloi water system, to similar projects being run in several African and Asian countries. She assured that the programme will bring 24x7 water to the area. “The DJB has taken steps to provide 24x7 water supply in the project area as has happened in other cities like Nagpur, Hubli-Dharwad, Gulbarga (which used to receive water once in five days) and in a number of other Asian and African cities,” she said addressing the residents and Jal Board officials at the Secretariat. She explained that the PPP model being used in the project was not privatisation because the Jal Board will continue to be the owner of all assets and be responsible for providing water services. “The payment to the private operator would be independent of consumer tariff, consumers would not be required to pay anything to the operator; the operators' payment will be made by the DJB. The tariffs in the pilot project will also continue to be same as the rest of Delhi – therefore, this Government will provide better services at no extra cost,” she clarified. Jal Board Chief Executive Officer Debashree Mukherjee said the project will make available piped water supply 24X7 at sufficient pressure to each and every house of the project area. “All villages and unauthorised colonies will be provided household connections. Two new underground reservoirs will be constructed at Mundka and Najafgarh. More than 1,200 km of new distribution lines will also be laid,” she said. “PPP model in demand” Ms. Mukherjee went on to claim that she has already received “requests from different parts of Delhi asking for similar PPP projects to be implemented in their areas”. The meeting came in the wake of concerns that the water supply system in Nangloi, Malviya Nagar and Vasant Vihar would be privatised and the consumers will have to pay more. Conducted in association with Acord (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development), a non-government organisation, the two-day “Jal Bhagidari-Workshop” shed light on the proposed revamp of the existing water supply, transmission and distribution network under the Nangloi water treatment plant. “Public-private partnership model will bring round-the-clock water supply in Nangloi” Consumers not required to pay anything extra to the operator; Jal Board to take care of it