Tank mafia behind city water crisis, says Ajay Maken

New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on the AAP government over the shortage of drinking water, on Monday, Delhi Congress unit president Ajay Maken alleged that a tanker mafia was operating in the national capital. He claimed that the mafia was forcing people to buy drinking water.

Mr Maken said the same water could have easily been diverted through Delhi Jal Board pipes so that everyone could get it to quench their thirst. However, the hold of the tanker mafia is so vicious that people are forced to buy water from them.

Speaking at the “Jal Satyagraha” at Prem Nagar in the Patel Nagar Assembly constituency, Mr Maken, while protesting against the water shortage in Delhi, said that poor people across the city are struggling to get a bucket of water for their personal consumption.

The Congress leader said that the Jal Satyagraha, which started on June 1, will continue till the end of the month. This protest is to make the AAP government open its eyes to the prevailing scarcity of drinking water across the city.

Mr Maken said people have to travel long distances carrying heavy containers to fill water from the water tankers and even the tankers come only once a week or in 10 days. It is only when one pays a bribe of `500 that these tankers arrive early, he said.

Mr Maken said the Delhi government has failed on all fronts to ensure that people get regular supply of drinking water through pipes.

He further added that when his party was in power, GPS system was introduced to monitor the movement of the tankers and also to ensure that it was not stolen.

“But the AAP government has removed the GPS system from the water tankers to give a free hand to the tanker mafia,” said Mr Maken.