Experts water down BJP's promise

Chennai: When it comes to electoral promises, political parties are very keen to outdo their rivals and they come out with “impractical” promises. BJP, which released its vision document for the 2016 assembly election, has assured, if voted to power, it would supply 20 litres of purified drinking water per day to all families in the state. Water management experts dismiss such promises as unfeasible and not environment friendly.

The saffron party’s promise has come in the backdrop of the ruling AIADMK, which in its 2011 election manifesto, assured to provide 20 litres of purified drinking water for the below poverty line families. But the AIADMK was able to implement the promise by setting up “reverse osmosis plant” to supply purified drinking water in the fag end of the tenure in February this year that too in a few parts of the city.

As per the 2011 census, there are 1.85 crore households in the state. If one goes by the assurance of BJP, it would require about 37 crore litres of purified water to supply to all the 1.85 crore families. “For a 20 litre of purified drinking water, it requires at least 60 litres of water to be treated in the RO plant. The 40  litres of water will be wasted and it will only lead to increased pollution level. It is completely unfeasible one. How many PO plants will you set up? ” former Prof S. Janakarajan of Madras Institute of Development Studies told DC.

He suggested that instead, they should ensure supply of quality drinking water to households without mixing with sewage. “The water that they supply from metro water should be purified and supplied free. The promise of supplying 20 litres of purified water to all the families is unfeasible. Besides, such schemes will have lot of environment implications as well,” he said.

J. Saravanan, consultant hydrogeologist, said that first of all, as per the Constitution access to safe drinking water is a fundamental right. “They should ensure that all people get assured drinking water supply at least two or three hours a day. They should talk of sources, source sustainability and talk of recycling of water. Without talking about all that, they are saying that I am going to give you 20 litres of water,” he said, adding that now water has been made as a commodity.  He warned that this free supply of purified drinking water would only lead to private taking over of “our rivers, water bodies and reservoirs.”