Satendra, Differential ...

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Satendra, Differential pricing for services like electricity and water supply are always welcome. But announcing free water supply up to 20000 L/month/HH is totally disappointing move. It is not only Delhi, I fear this trend should not spread in other states, otherwise the reform initiatives taken by many states, year 2002 onward, like Gujarat, Maharashtra, TN, Kerala etc. in which local bodies are made responsible for O&M of facilities and pushed to collect water tariff from users will face difficulties due to this kind of thoughtless/popular promises. The water sector is victim of similar announcement made in past, first by NT Rama Rao in eighties for free power supply to farmers in AP. Since then this has become a trend across the country, which has resulted in huge loss financially as separate lines are being laid for domestic and irrigation so that at least domestic requirements are fulfilled (Guj,MP trying), depletion of ground water due to free power could also be linked. Delhi should prepare a census of ground water sources, work towards regulating- withdrawal, improve quality & access, reuse waste water and promote harvesting rainwater on large scale.