CAG slams Rs35cr water treatment plant by DJB

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has questioned the need and viability of a water treatment plant built by Delhi Jal Board at the Commonwealth Games Village.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has questioned the need and viability of a water treatment plant built by Delhi Jal Board at the Commonwealth Games Village.

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Ahead of the Games, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) had constructed a 1MGD (million gallons per day) capacity water treatment plant (WTP) for the Games Village, Akshardham temple and surrounding areas, at a cost of Rs35.2crore.

The CAG report pointed out: "We found that the need for a separate water tank was not clearly established and the plant was over-designed, with expensive membrane filtration technology." The report also found flaws in the tendering process which witnessed undue and inexplicable delays.

"(Further), the bid evaluation was tailored to favour award of the work to a single bidder. The WTP is currently shut and its requirement on a legacy basis is questionable," it added.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior DJB official said, "It was only on the request of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) that we set up the WTP and went in for the high-end technology. Even the Rs35.2crore expenditure was borne by DDA."

Clarifying the tendering process, the officer said that to begin with, only two parties came forward to participate in the tendering process.

One of the two was disqualified on technical grounds; it approached court. "However, the court upheld the DJB view, which meant only one party was left in the fray," the officer explained.

Contesting the statement that the WTP is shut, he said the water treatment plant is functional and water is being provided to DDA.

"Today, it is being operated at partial capacity. But as and when people come and stay at the Games Village, the plant can be operated at full capacity," the official added.