Delhi—a city and union territory of India containing the country’s capital, New Delhi—continues to grow in population, posing challenges to civic agencies in the provision of citizens’ essential needs.
MELBURNIANS can expect water restrictions to remain for several years until massive infrastructure projects are completed, including the desalination plant due to begin operating in 2011. The city's water supply is in better shape than at this time last year but a drier autumn looms. Water Minister Tim Holding said yesterday some restrictions would continue until major projects were completed. Water Services Association of Australia executive director Ross Young said Melbourne ended February with its catchments 35.5% full, up from 34.2% at this time last year. He attributed the increase to a fall in water consumption, down 9% on the previous year, and more summer rainfall, 10% above average. However, Mr Young said dry soil throughout the state meant higher rainfall was not delivering the boost to reservoirs that might be expected. The streams that fill Victoria's reservoirs were flowing at only 58% of the long-term average flow. Water storage levels in Ballarat were at just 9.5%. Meanwhile, the Murray-Darling Basin Commission yesterday warned that flooding rains in Queensland and above-average summer rainfall in the upper Murray River would bring little or no relief for Victorian irrigators. Total inflows into the Murray system are still only a quarter of the long-term average. Victorian irrigators will receive only 42% of their entitlements this financial year, with worse likely for next year. With CHRIS HAMMER
For Rs 1.9 crore, three deep tubewells and a distribution network were set up in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district. Six years on, these wells supply arsenic-laced water to 14000 villagers.
With many a Margao household receiving drinking water only in trickles, the BJP activists of the city unit on Wednesday gheraoed PWD officials and demanded explanation for the water scarcity. Assistant Engineer, Vijay Kudchadkar attributed the water scarcity in some parts of the city to the ongoing pump replacement work at the Selaulim Dam. He, however, assured the delegation that water supply to the City would stabilise within two days as the work of pump replacement is almost completed. Led by BJP leader Sharmad Raiturcar, the BJP activists, including some women, demanded to know why work on the replacement was carried out without issuing any notice to the water consumers. He pointed out that a notice was inserted in the newspapers around February 15 and sought to know whether work was on for the last fortnight. "Is there any accountability for the PWD officials. How come you suddenly carried out a shut down', he questioned. Raiturcar claimed that many a household in Comba, Khareband and Aquem in the Chief Minister's constituency had to go without water for the last two days. He also sought to know whether household connections would be issued to households with PWD officials disconnecting the public water taps. Accusing the present Government for being insensitive to the common man, Raiturcar threatened to intensify the agitation if the situation fails to improve immediately. Assistant Engineer, Kudchadkar told the BJP activists that two of the damaged pumps are being replaced and attributed the delay to the company's delay in supplying the pumps.
WATER shortage is becoming more and more acute in Thane and Ghodbunder road area. They are going without water supply for the last three days and this has resulted in public protests against the TMC. The TMC has, however, put the blame on the state irrigation department and sought a high-level discussion to end the crises. The problem of water scarcity has engulfed Vartak Nagar, Bhim Nagar, Lokmanya Nagar, Indira Nagar, Ram Nagar and Manpada, as well as other high-rise areas on Ghodbunder Road since the last two weeks. These areas have been going without proper water supply for more than three days a week since the past two weeks. These areas require 34 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of water but the situation has resulted in the water supply going down by more than 10-12 MLD everyday. Residents of several areas do not even get drinking water due to the recent situation. The anger of the residents is growing day by day.
Acute water shortage in Nara canal system has badly hit wheat, vegetable, sugarcane and other crops as several branches and distributaries are closed for more than 10 days.
The NWFP government has decided to extend Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (RWSSP) for another year, as the UK Department for International Development (DFID) has approved an additional grant
A water filtration plant was reactivated with the technical and financial assistance from British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) at Gorpara under Sadar Upazila in Manikganj yesterday.
The Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department has initiated many water supply schemes in and around Udalguri district recently.
Terming "ridiculous' the assurance of the Delhi Government vis-
An acute shortage of water has hit tail-end areas of Nara Canal, adversely affecting recently sown sugarcane and vegetable crops.
