The political temperature over water in the capital Delhi has reached boiling point. Fierce struggles erupt among residents desperate for water. Meanwhile, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party points fingers at Haryana for the crisis, while BJP accuses them of fueling corruption to pad their pockets through tanker mafias.
Our team delved into the murky waters of corruption amidst this crisis. Hidden cameras reveal a shocking truth where Delhi's thirst is monetized.
Every drop turned into a source of profit
In Delhi, where free water was once promised, now sees its residents yearning for just a drop. While street corners battle acute shortages, tank mafias have hit the jackpot, commodifying water at the expense of the needy.
To demonstrate this brazen business, our undercover team visited Sangam Vihar, confronting a racketeer, Ritesh, who runs his operations from home. Pretending to need water for construction, our team placed a request.
... and a tanker will set you back ₹3,000
Our team met Ritesh, a tanker owner. When our reporter asked if a tanker could be provided for house construction, Ritesh was affirmative. Their discussion covered addresses, water requirements, and prices.
Ritesh quoted ₹2,100 for a tanker but reduced it to ₹1,500 after bargaining, which holds 12,000 liters. He even mentioned an additional cost to deliver water up a rooftop tank, bringing the price to ₹3,000 per tanker.
Almost every alley in Sangam Vihar has water mafias. Skipping two lanes, we found Mohan's tanker service. Secret cameras also caught tankers being filled from a borewell. Mohan shared that his 4,500-liter tankers cost ₹2,200 each.
Water availability on-demand
Our encounter with Mohan revealed an illegal borewell alongside an indoor water storage tank. His operation, caught on our hidden camera, hinted at a deeper water crisis. He struggles to fill tankers due to falling groundwater levels and offered a tanker every other day if needed.
Charging a mere ₹500 to fill a tanker
Tanker mafias in Delhi are breaking multiple rules, with the major one being illegal extraction from borewells. The team discovered such activities in Yamuna Khadar, Vazirabad, where tankers were being openly filled. Here Ramesh operates an illicit borewell, charging a paltry ₹500 to fill a 12,000-liter tanker.
Illegally sourced water from Yamuna, distributed throughout Delhi
As Delhiites drain their wallets buying water, tanker mafias unabashedly extract and sell illegally sourced water. Ramesh shared connections with ‘Pandit ji’ owning multiple tankers, offering sweet water supply. Our team learned that this network spans Delhi's expanse, with illegal refilling hubs almost everywhere.
