Will water, sewer be given to new civic corporations?

The three new corporations carved out of erstwhile MCD may soon have to handle water and sewer problems too, if a proposal currently under consideration gets through.

The three new corporations carved out of erstwhile MCD may soon have to handle water and sewer problems too, if a proposal currently under consideration gets through.

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According to highly placed sources, the Dharamrajan Committee constituted to frame legislation for the new corporations, is mulling over the idea of giving back sewer and water departments to the corporations.

Currently, the two responsibilities lie with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).

According to the proposal, the corporations will distribute water to residential colonies, while DJB will look after the bulk supply.

The same holds true for handling of the sewer services — the corporation will provide sewerage facilities to colonies, while the DJB will look after the main sewer lines.

"The idea has been generated to re-empower the corporations, from which powers had been taken away earlier. Currently, the bodies are primarily taking care of sanitation and colony road services," said a source.

When the MCD was constituted, it covered functions such as transport, water, fire and electricity, which were taken away from it by the Delhi government.

Before its trifurcation, the government formed the Dharamrajan Committee to replace the existing Delhi Municipal Corporation Act 1957, by coming up with a new legislation for the new municipal bodies.

The specifics of the proposed legislation will have to be drafted in the form of a bill and approved by the state legislature.

With the committee mulling over the restoration of certain functions to the BJP-led corporations, the Congress-led government will now have to decide whether to support the strengthening of the corporations or oppose it.

A meeting will be held on July 2 to discuss the proposals.