PUBLIC HEARING - Delhi’s Water Crisis
Shashi Poovaiah Sen

Those chosen few who have gazed upon the earth from space describe it as coloured in lovely shades of blue.  Why blue?  Because as any schoolchild knows, ours is a watery planet and it is this water, floating above the earth in the form of white clouds, and gowning it with the expanse of blue ocean, which makes the earth so breathtaking.  According to scientists life was born in a watery soup and two-thirds of the human body is composed of water.  Despite recognising that it is integral to our survival, we abuse this finite resource infinitely.  People all over the world are taking cognizance of their water resources, governments realise that they have to pursue policies of efficient water management and control water pollution.

The India Habitat Centre was conceived as a catalyst to initiate the search for solutions to problems concerning humans and their habitat.  This summer, the IHC in collaboration with Development Alternatives organised a Public Hearing on “Water Supply in Delhi - the search for solutions”.  Greater Delhi is a burgeoning city faced with most of the ills of megacities the world over.  Water is now one of the most crucial issues which concerns Delhi’s citizens.  This summer many parts of the city were on water rations, and in other parts citizens had to trek long distances to get their quota of water.

A campaign of public awareness can influence the decision-makers to prioritise water conservation and introduce efficient water management.  During the course of the hearing, many issues were highlighted to focus on the essentials of the problem.

Governance is the core of the problem, since management of Delhi’s water supply is the responsibility of the government, and water supply is only part of the civic mess in Delhi.  The capital requires 7 million gallons of water every day but receives no more than 5.25 millions gallons.  Haryana supplies additional raw water, on payment, to Delhi.  There is a faulty distribution system leading to perpetual losses faced by the Delhi Water Supply and Sewage Disposal Undertaking.  This further affects the supply of treated water to the Delhi areas.  In the year 2001, Delhi’s population is likely to be more than 12.8 million; correspondingly, more than 9 million gallons of water will be required daily.  So far, the authorities have dealt with problem by merely replacing a leaking pipeline.

There are three issues which the government should take up to improve the water supply position:

1.         Efficient and sensible management of the system with a focus on remedying the planning lacunae.
2.         Improved technology to avoid wastage, overconsumption and pollution, and promote equitable distribution.
3.         Address the problem of pricing and revise the tariffs.  The tariff policy of the government can induce citizens to be more responsible in the use and consumption of water.

Delinking the amenities from the government is a possible solution.  Privatisation could lead to a more efficiently managed service.

It is imperative that the government also examine the problem of migration to Delhi, which is putting its water supply and other civic amenities under extreme pressure.  It is not simply jhuggi-jhopdi areas which pose a problem of management, but also the many illegal colonies tapping into the water supply with impunity.  The government should develop the satellite areas around Delhi to shift the pressure.  Handpumps could be installed in the jhuggi areas : there are many slum-dwellers who can afford low cost options.  In fact the poor consume much less water than the rich.  The rich colonies of Delhi use and abuse water with scant regard for water management, when it is indeed their residents who can install many water saving devices in their homes.

Although Delhi is to receive raw water from neighbouring states, there is no guarantee on the infallability of this supply.  In these states, irrigation has increased, drawing heavily on the ground water reserves and also the river water flow, so the rivers are not recharging enough during the monsoons.  Water efficiency in the agricultural sector can be increased.  Even a 10 percent reduction in water consumption for agriculture will make a  substantial impact.

Industries can, with a minimal effort and will on the part of the management, reduce their water use by as much as 50 percent, Waste water could be treated to be fit for agricultural or industrial use.

It would help immeasurably if the forest cover in and around the capital region was increased.

This is of course not the last word on the subject.  The importance of water in our daily lives actually forces us to take cognizance of it.  More meetings on water-related issues are required; these will have a multiplier effect and help raise the level of public consciousness.  Such a consciousness is the first step towards water conservation.

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