The Hindu        04.03.2011

‘Water is the property of the commons'

Opposition to the State's water policy, which has been simmering since 2002 when the Karnataka Urban Drinking Water and Sanitation Policy was passed, came to the boil again last week when organisations launched an agitation against the visit of the U.S. Water Technology Trade Mission to the city. Kshithij Urs, among the leading members in the People's Campaign for Right to Water, speaks to The Hindu on key issues. Excerpts:

Urban Development Minister S. Suresh Kumar has responded to your campaign by assuring to take a relook at the water policy of 2002

Certain comments made on his blog don't suggest he's serious (about it). He has also sought to know from us where the money to sustain free and efficient water supply will come from. The fact is the Government has spent more money on setting up infrastructure for private water supply companies (in parts of north Karnataka and Mysore) than it spent on water supply earlier. If the Minister is really serious, let him initiate legislative proceedings to make water privatisation illegal as in The Netherlands, Bolivia and Paraguay.

What are the problems with the 2002 policy, which informed a list of amendments in 2005 to the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act?

Its preamble says “ensure universal coverage of water and sanitation services that people want and are willing to pay for”. This statement is contradictory: it says there should be universal supply but then also says it is conditional to payment. Supply should be either universal or conditional. Its basic spirit is that if you want water for a private swimming pool, you can get it as long as you pay the tariff. But if you want water to drink, you cannot get it if you can't pay up. It goes against the basic concept of water being the property of the commons.

What has been the experience with privatisation in parts of Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum, Gulbarga and Mysore?

Certain municipal wards in these places were chosen as demonstration zones where pilot projects were conducted. The Government did everything to ensure that the private companies succeeded. It paid for infrastructure and supplied its own staff to them. It ensured there was non-stop supply of water to these zones even while the other parts of the city suffered from shortage. The zones were chosen in such a way that even if power went off, water would flow through a gradient network. .

Why did you oppose the U.S. Water Technology Trade Mission? Its representatives said that they are interested in primarily offering wastewater treatment solutions. They don't mention privatisation or management of water supply.

The U.S. Department of Commerce website states that the mission intends to influence policy change through talks with urban local bodies. It states that the companies in the mission will “find the best opportunities in sanitation, urban water supply improvement, rainwater capture, and municipal waste treatment”. What they have said in the press note is a lie.

The Government has spent more on setting up infrastructure for private water supply companies, Kshithij Urs tells Sudipto Mondal

The Hindu         03.03.2011

Purchase of anti-mosquito breeding provisions stalled

The plan to start taking measures against spread of vector-borne diseases early in the city this year seems to have hit a roadblock with questions being raised over the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's procurement procedure for anti-mosquito breeding provisions at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Tuesday.

In view of this, the civic body has decided to postpone the proposals relating to purchase of granules, chemicals and bio-larvicides that are sprayed to kill and prevent breeding of dengue and malaria-causing mosquitoes.

Normally, the civic body starts spraying chemicals around the end of May to control mosquito spread but the MCD's health department had decided as a precautionary measure to start the procedure by April this year. However, a number of councillors, mostly from the ruling BJP, objected to the proposal placed by the health department before the Standing Committee on Tuesday over allegations of “trying to favour certain vested interests through the procurement procedure”.

The civic agency's plan to use the government undertaking of Hindustan Latex Ltd (HLL) as a consultant for procurement of material at 2 per cent consultancy charge was unacceptable to them as they argued that the civic agency should buy the material directly to avoid paying the high consultancy fees.

The proposals related to purchase of 1,40,000 kg of Temephos Granules worth Rs.50.08 lakh to prevent breeding in clean stagnant water in coolers and uncovered overhead tanks, 40 tonnes of Malathion Technical worth Rs.57.64 lakh used for fogging operation to kill adult mosquitoes, 5,400 litres of Pyrethrum Extract worth Rs.76.43 lakh for spraying to kill adult mosquitoes by mixing it with kerosene oil and 2,75,000 litres of bio-larvicides worth Rs.27.22 lakh. As per the proposal, HLL was to fix the rate of procurement and the supplier agency for one year and get 2 per cent as consultancy charge.

However, the civic agency denied any foul play in the matter and claimed the consultancy was needed as the purchases required various technical specifications and being a reliable government undertaking, HLL had been shortlisted. Municipal Health Officer Dr N. K. Yadav said: “It's all transparent…the company is a reputed government undertaking and provides us the necessary technical support to help make right purchases. We have brought down the consultancy charges from 3.5 per cent to 2 per cent.”

The health department is hopeful that the proposal will be passed in next meeting of the panel.

Outbreak of vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria is huge problem in the city especially during monsoons.