New water supply model will help private players: Experts

New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) The absence of regulatory mechanism in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in the water sector will help private players make profit rather than solve Delhi's water crisis, experts believe.

"The government wants reform in the water sector through PPP but there is no regulatory mechanism to monitor the operation of private players, who only aim to make money," said Himanshu Thakkar, the coordinator of South Asian Network for Dams, Rivers and People.

The Delhi government has decided to introduce reform in water management through PPP project.

"More water will be supplied to those who consume water in large quantity, as according to the slabs the more you consume, the more you pay. The focus will be on hotels and other big entities rather than households," said Thakkar here Tuesday.

He was speaking at a discussion on 'Water Scarcity in Delhi - Soaring Demand or Mismanagement' here Tuesday.

Thakkar lamented the sorry state of affairs at the Delhi Jal Board which, he said, needs more transparency and efficiency in its functioning.

"Delhi is a spoilt child as all its demands are met immediately. It has enough water to supply to the residents but still it wants water from Renuka Dam project in Himachal Pradesh which has several discrepancies," Thakkar said.

Another environmental expert, Manu Bhatnagar said that of 930 million gallons per day water supplied to the residents, only 600 million gallons reach them.

"This amounts to almost 40 percent leakage in the water supply," said Bhatnagar, who heads the Natural Heritage Division at INTAC.

He expressed concern over the profligate use of water by people in the city, and cited how 15 million gallons of water is wasted everyday on washing cars in the capital.