Ready to resign if charges of irregularities in DJB proved: CM

New Delhi, Sep 18 (UNI) Taking the opposition BJP head-on for levelling charges of irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said if the allegations of corruption were proved, she and her government would be the first one to resign.

Asserting that her Government had never compromised on the issue of corruption, the Chief Minister while replying to a short duration discussion on ''situation arising out of acute water scarcity in the Capital and high level of pollution in the Yamuna river'', said, ''if all the charges of the opposition are proved, we in the government would be the first one to resign.'' Earlier, initiating the debate, Delhi Pradesh BJP Chief Harsh Vardhan had alleged that the Delhi Jal Board had become a hub of corruption adding that the state government itself had admitted in a recently-released Human Development Report that five out of six people in Delhi did not have adequate supply of water.

Replying to the charges by the BJP of rampant corruption in the Delhi Jal Board, Ms Dikshit said, ''we have never compromised against any kind of corruption in the administration.'' On allegations by the Opposition on issue of rape charges against some officials of the Jal Board, the Chief Minister said enquiry in the matter was being conducted by a committee of the state government.

''Anyone whose involvement is proved in the probe will be punished,''Ms Dikshit said.

Responding to the opposition allegations of severe scarcity of water in Delhi, the Chief Minister said, ''compared to 2005-2006, the number of complaints on water supply in the city decreased by 40 per cent in 2006-07. Also, in the first half of 2007-08, the number of complaints on this score fell by over 55 per cent compared to the same period last year.'' In this context, she added a study on public satisfaction commissioned by the state government on the issue of water supply in Delhi, revealed that people were more satisfied on this score over the last few years, especially after the operationalisation of the Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plant.

Ms Dikshit said the requirement of water in Delhi over the last three years had gone up from 750 MGD to 950 MGD. ''However, the supply of water has also gone up from 550 MGD to 780 MGD largely due to the operationalisation of the Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plan,'' she added.

''Though Delhi is one city where per capita consumption of water is highest in the country, yet the 1.6 crore people of Delhi get enough water in some way or the other. In this context, I would say that the opposition charges of many areas in Delhi being parched or facing a draught like situation are absolutely untrue,'' she said.

''Drinking water available in Delhi is of better quality than anywhere else in the country,''the Chief Minister added.

On opposition allegations that building of the Commonwealth Village on the banks of the Yamuna would lead to disastrous consequences, including the lowering of the river water table, Ms Dikshit said all the necessary clearances of the site being environmentally safe had been obtained from the required authorities.

''The Delhi Government is committed to the environment,'' Ms Dikshit said adding that ''if the huge Akshardham Temple can be built on the site, then why not the Commonwealth Village.'' More UNI