World Water Day - March 22

The 22nd March 2005 is being observed as the World Water Day. The Citizen Front for Water Democracy, an alliance of more than 100 organisations in Delhi, has been formed to defend our rights over water. The Front have planned to observe this day as a protest day against the water privatisation in Delhi and the increase in water tariff which would be effective from 1st April 2005.
In Delhi the 22nd March 2005 will be observed as protest day in response to the fast track of water privatisation being taken by the Government of Delhi on the dictate of the World Bank and Water Corporations like Suez - Ondeo Degremont, which has set up its water treatment plant in Sonia Vihar and signed a MOU with the Delhi Government for the supply of water.
Recently the secret and hidden agenda of the water privatisation was exposed with the government's decision to set-up Water Regulatory Authority in Delhi, as required under the policy papers prepared by the Price Water House Coopers, which has been made responsible to prepare the privatization road map of Delhi. Now with the announcement of the increase in water tariff from 1st April 2005 as well as the "under-valuation" of the Delhi Jal Board properties in Delhi, the Delhi government has exposed itself that it is simply following the World Bank agenda for water privatisation.
The model of Water Privatisation has failed in different parts of the globe and this model is crumbling everywhere. People all round the globe are fighting to defend their water rights. MNCs are trying to grab water for profits and World Bank has emerged as tool in their grab for water. The Citizen Front for Water Democracy consider the steps of Delhi Government to privatize it's waters as anti public, undemocratic and violating people's right over water. The hidden manner in which Government is pushing the World Bank and MNCs agenda is unconstitutional.
To oppose government's agenda, one week before the advent of the World Water Day, "Jal Swaraj Abhiyan" (Water Sovereignty Campaign) will be organised to mobilise the people of Delhi against water privatisation as well as educate them on the conservation of water and its proper utilisation.

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