New Delhi

BJP opposes order banning withdrawal of groundwater

NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan on Thursday demanded that the Lieutenant-Governor cancel the order banning withdrawal of groundwater and said ideally the decision on this issue should have been taken after the formation of the new Government in Delhi.

Stating that this order would lead to both mental and economical harassment of people at the hands of the Delhi Jal Board and the Central Ground Water Board, Dr. Vardhan charged that it had been taken at the

jubehest of multi-national companies which want to have a control on groundwater in Delhi and want to earn crores by selling it.

Accusing the Delhi Government of “deep connivance” in the matter, Dr. Vardhan said the move was an attempt by the Congress “to create difficulties for the BJP which is going to form the next government”.

He said while the Congress Government in Delhi had failed to provide pure drinking water to even 40 per cent people, it now wants to deprive lakhs who are dependent on the ground water of this precious resource.

“As many as 40 lakh people of unauthorised colonies, 30 lakh people of jhuggi-jhonpri colonies and those living in villages and people living in areas where the DJB water is not supplied are dependent on groundwater. Now due to imposition of the ban on this water the people of these areas would have to pay heavy penalty or their bore-well connections would be cut,” he said.

The BJP leader pointed out that the Sheila Government wanted to implement this order earlier too but due to protests by the BJP it could not do so and the Bill that was presented by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was referred to a Select Committee.

“The committee had rejected it. But now Ms. Dikshit has forwarded this proposal and got the approval of the Lieutenant-Governor when the people are busy in elections. Due to this a large number of cases would be filed in Delhi,” he said, demanding a rollback of the order.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu