Asian games Village depends on tankers

The Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced to give 667 liters of water for free to city residents. He promised, he announced and people welcomed. But what about those people living in south Delhi’s posh colony -- Asian Games Village -- where they struggle of get a single drop of water despite paying hefty inflated bills of Delhi Jal Board?

The life of people living in Asian Games Village, located in the Siri Fort area near Hauz Khas, is in horrifying condition. One shells out Rs 10 crore to buy a flat but only to find that there is almost no water supply from Delhi Jal Board. Regardless of people having proper water connection they have been struggling for a single drop of water for years.

The athletes’ village built during 1982 Asian Games on the remains of the Khilji Dynasty’s Siri Fort, this residential colony has 853 flats of which in around 750, top officials of Public Sector Undertakings, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, public servants lives.

Few top officials manage to get water from Delhi Jal Board on per day basis, rest of them depend on private tankers who charges hefty amount.   

Hemant Mudgal, Consultant with top most accountancy company, told Mail Today, “There is no water supply in the society.  Government officials have managed to hire private tankers and get water but we have to struggle every day. Out of 365 days, 160 days we don’t get single drop of water from Delhi Jal Board.”

He added that he gets water from private water tanker almost every day and there is no other means to get water.  “Leave aside water supply during summer, in winter we have no water supply,” Mudgal.

Retired Commissioner in Central Board of Excise and Customs Ajay Agnihotri told Mail Today, “There is no definite of water supply. From 5 am onwards one has to keep a tap on water supply and most of the times it is disappointing. There is no water supply and every day we have to depend on water tankers.”

Agnihotri added Delhi Jal Board almost fails to supply water through tankers. “First they will not take calls and by mistake they pick up, they will send water tankers only after two days and that too will provide very limited water. We have pay to the Delhi Jal Board people also.” 

The residents complain water supply in the colony is erratic and they day-to-day depend on water tankers.  The top government employees uses they influence to get water from the Delhi Jal Board. The top Public Sector Undertakings and All India Institute of Medical Sciences employees have chalked out plans and have hired private tankers for their daily needs but people who are not government employees have to shell or thousands of rupees to get water. 

While supplying water in the society, a Delhi Jal Board official said that almost five water tankers come to the society six times every day.  “We only manage to cater around 30 complaints on a single day. We don’t deny that there is no water crisis but we can’t do anything as senior officials have to decide.”  

The manager of the Asian Village Resident Welfare Association S K Sinha said that there is not a single day when around 50 water tankers cater to the water need of the residents.  “If people make complaint to Delhi Jal Board that would be catered after three days and that too they have to give money to Delhi Jal Board or else they would not cater next time.”

The scenario at East of Kailash in south Delhi is same. “Problems of water supply in our society? My god there is no water supply. We wait for days to get water and that too at unpredictable time,” said Alok Verma. They all are dependent of private tankers. 

But things have improved a bit in Greater Kailash and Kalkaji. “There were acute shortage of water three years ago but in last two years due to Sonia Vihar supply we get water or else it was total mess in these areas,” said Goldy Kumar.   

ENDS