Furore in Delhi Assy on water situation in city

New Delhi, Apr 12 (UNI) The opposition BJP today raised a furore in the Delhi Legislative Assembly over a statement by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on the water situation in the metropolis.

Replying to a question by BJP's Mohan Singh Bisht on whether the water crisis in Delhi still continues after commissioning of the Sonia Vihar plant and as to where was the information about control rooms set up to deal with the same available, Ms Dikshit said for those MLAs who had worked sincerely in their area, obtaining such information would not be difficult.

This set off an uproar in the opposition benches with the BJP members taking objection on the CM's statement.

It was only after Speaker Prem Singh announced the statement of the Chief Minister would be deleted from the records that the members were pacified.

The House also witnessed noisy scenes when BJP member Vijay Jolly, bemoaning the severe water shortage in the Sangam Vihar area under his constituency, charged the government with playing politics over water.

The Chief Minister's assurance that the water shortage was only due to inadequate water availability to the Sonia Vihar plant- as against its normal capacity of 140 MGD, it was getting only 60 MGD water - and her assertion that ''nobody in Delhi is dying of thirst'' failed to satisfy Mr Jolly who rushed to the well of the House demanding the Government provide adequate water to Sangam Vihar.

Mr Jolly took his seat after the Speaker called upon Ms Dikshit to look into the matter.

Responding to the concerns of the members, the Chief Minister said the state Government was taking adequate steps to answer any water crisis in Delhi.

''The number of water tankers are being increased whereever necessary. Control rooms have been set up in all areas and whereever there is a requirement, water will be made available,'' she said.

UNI