Jaipur left dry in ‘water-tight’ Compartment

Water crisis is a reality. In 1727, when Jai Singh – II founded Jaipur, he planned perennial water supply to the city. Tankas, baodis, johad, step wells and other traditional water systems ensured that Jaipur has drinking water for its population. 

But with development, traditional water bodies and harvesting techniques had sunken into the history books. The legendary Ramgarh dam had supplied water to the entire city for decades.  

The dam was commissioned by Jaipur King Madho Singh - II and was completed in 1903. But it started supplying water to the city only in 1931. Soon, the lake or the reservoir became a well-known tourist spot and shot to international fame in 1982 when it hosted the rowing events of the Asian Games. 

Today, however, the four rivers, Roda, Banganga, Tala and Madhoveni, which used to bring their water to the lake, have gone dry. After the Rajasthan High Court took suo moto cognizance of the drying up of Ramgarh Lake in 2011, it was found that its catchment area, spread over 700 sq km, had as many as 405 anicuts and 800 encroachments ranging from farmhouses to educational institutes.

The water source dried up and with it dried hopes. Just then in October 19, the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government sanctioned a project to bring the Bisalpur reservoir water to the state capital Jaipur. However, the project could not be implemented because of financial constraints. In 2004, the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government started the construction of a pipeline to bring Bisalpur water to Jaipur. The project was opposed by farmers relying on the Bisalpur water for irrigation. On June 13, 2005, five farmers were shot dead while protesting the diversion of Bisalpur water to Jaipur. The Bisalpur water reached Jaipur in 2009, leading to public protests in surrounding districts like Ajmer, Bhilwara, Dausa and Tonk, whose residents demanded a share of the water. Water remains an issue between warring communities even today.

PHED claim

Tall claims made by Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) to supply clean and adequate drinking water to the city residents seems to be falling flat.

About 40 percent of the area under Jaipur Municipal Corporation has no water supply through government pipelines. Residents of 5,000 colonies in these areas have to depend on private tubewells and water tankers for their everyday water needs. 

Residents of most multi-storied buildings are not getting PHED water supply and have to depend completely on private tankers.

To develop water pipeline infrastructure and to connect it with its supply line, PHED needs Rs 7,000 crore fund which the state government has failed to provide. Every year, PHED sends a proposal in this regard to the state government, but the government approves only a part of it. It seems that this way, it will take several years for the PHED to set up a pipeline network in these areas.

PHED supplies 5,030 lakh litres of water every day in areas where there is a pipeline network but there are hundreds of colonies on Agra Road, Tonk Road, Ajmer Road, Sikar Road, Niwaru Road, Malpura Road and Delhi Road areas where there is no water pipeline network. Out of these, 900 colonies are in Prithviraj Nagar. In the absence of PHED supply, private tubewells and water tanker operators charge hefty amounts from residents and also demand security deposit up to Rs15,000 per connection. Sometimes, when the borewell or supply pump is out of order, supply remains disrupted for 2-3 days and the money for repair is charged from the residents.

Who's accountable?

The JDA and JMC have failed to provide basic amenities such as road, sewer line, park and water to 50 per cent area of the municipal territory. The indifferent attitude of the government machinery is also responsible for non-development of infrastructure. Despite the fact that there is 100 per cent habitation in some colonies, records have not been submitted to the JDA. In such a case, PHED cannot initiate laying down of pipelines in these areas. During the regulation of hundreds of colonies in the city, JDA has taken the money for basic infrastructure development from the people. However, there is no facility of water, road and sewer lines in these colonies.

Proposals

During the previous government, PHED proposed a Rs 1,276 crore project to connect 1,300 colonies with the pipeline network. But the state government did not take any action on it. Similarly, the Rs 1,500-crore project was sent to the Centre but was not approved. The previous government approved Rs 50 crore for Jagatpura area but Rs 1,000 crore is needed to connect the colonies with water pipelines. The state government has sanctioned Rs 68.42 crore for the water projects of villages and colonies of Ward 49 and 50 of Kho Nagorian. However, for the colonies of Jamdoli, the principally approved amount of Rs 78 crore has been granted. The finance department has not released the funds so far.

PHED needs Rs 7,000 crore

According to PHED officials, around Rs 7,000 crore is needed to connect the entire Jaipur city to the drinking water network. It requires about Rs 1,800 crore for Bisalpur phase - II. PHED has not done any survey for drinking water arrangements in colonies like Ajmer Road, Malpura Road, Niwaru Road, Kalwar Road, Delhi Bypass and Sikar Road.