Why do you think there are so few cases of private water supply in the world?

Other necessities, like water, must be made available to everyone. We read about two more of these facilities: sanitation and healthcare.The same is true for things like energy, public transportation, schools, and colleges. These are referred to as public facilities.

Here, public facilities are offered to students so they can study and perform well on their board exams. Maharashtra was reportedly dealing with an unprecedented water emergency in 2019, according to news sources. Additionally, according to media reports, Chennai-based IT firms were requesting that their employees work remotely. In Rajasthan’s dry Thar Desert, locals were paying ₹ 2,500 for 2,500 litres of water, which they then gave to their animals. This was happening all over North India.

According to Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, the right to water is a component of the right to life. In other words, everyone has the right to get enough water to meet their daily needs for a price they can afford, regardless of their socioeconomic status. To put it another way, everyone should have access to water.

Features of Public Facilities

• A public facility’s key feature is that once it is made available, many individuals can profit from it at the same time. For instance, a school in the community will help educate a lot of kids. Similar to that, having access to electricity can be beneficial for a variety of people. 
• For instance, farmers can use pump sets to irrigate their fields; individuals can use electricity to run small workshops; schoolchildren will find it easier to learn; and most of the villages would benefit in some manner.

Role of Government in Public Facilities

• The government is in charge of providing facilities for the general public.
• The reason for this is that while private actors may be able to supply public facilities, they will not be able to support themselves without accounting for the revenues. As a result, not everyone will be able to afford the services they offer.
• The government must therefore make the required public amenities available immediately.
• Everyone in the nation has the right to life, according to our constitution. It implies that basic human needs must be satisfied. Public facilities are related to people’s basic necessities. Therefore, the government must provide public facilities.

Why do you think there are so few cases of private water supply in the world?

Since many municipal water departments are losing money and the government is unable to supply the required amount of water, a shortage of municipal water is frequently seen as a sign of failure. Instead, we should allow private companies to take over the task of supplying water.
They contend that private businesses can perform better if they take into account the following information:- 

• Water supply is a government responsibility everywhere in the world. Private water supply is a very rare occurrence. water supply is a public facility that every government must provide to all citizens of a State.
• When water service was transferred to private firms in a few instances, the cost of water rose sharply, making it unaffordable for many. Huge demonstrations took place in cities, and in places like Bolivia, riots broke out, prompting the government to retake control of the service from private providers.
• Government water departments in India have experienced some success, although these instances are rare and only apply to certain facets of their work. Mumbai’s water supply department collects enough money from water fees to meet its costs for providing water.
  According to a recent study, the department in Hyderabad has improved performance in tax collection and increased coverage. The agency has implemented a number of projects in Chennai to collect rainfall in order to raise groundwater levels. It has also used private enterprises to carry and distribute water, but the government’s water supply department sets the price and authorizes the usage of water tankers. Therefore, it is said that they are “on contract.”

Frequently Asked Questions –

Que 1. Do you believe that everyone in Chennai has access to and can afford water? Discuss.

Ans- In Chennai, not all residents have access to water equitably. Chennai’s municipal water system falls short of completely meeting demand. While many areas receive an erratic supply of water, some areas receive a regular supply. Middle-class and upper-class consumers purchase packaged drinking water or water from tankers. Due to their inability to pay for tankers or packaged water, the poor are disproportionately affected by the water supply crisis. Colonies farther distant from the storage stations receive less water supplies, while those nearby receive more.

Ques 2. Why are private hospitals and schools more prevalent in big cities than in smaller towns or rural areas?

Ans- Instead of being found in towns or villages, most private schools and hospitals are found in urban areas. Since their only goal is to make the most money possible, the services they provide are expensive and only accessible to wealthy city dwellers.

Ques 3. Are the aforementioned public amenities available to everyone in your neighbourhood equally? Elaborate.

Ans- No, the aforementioned amenities are not distributed equitably among the neighbourhoods. Not all people share the same amount of water. While every home in a middle-class neighbourhood has a separate water connection, slum dwellers must make do with just one water tap. others who live in middle-class dwellings can afford to purchase water from tankers to suit their demands, while others who live in slums cannot. Other resources, like as power, roads, and public transportation, are distributed equitably to everybody.

Ques 4. What are the effects on the community of Chennai of farmers selling their water to water dealers? Do you believe that locals could raise concerns about such groundwater exploitation? Can the government do anything about this?

Ans- Due to the water crisis, private businesses have a chance and are selling water to cities by purchasing it from locations throughout the metropolis. A fleet of more than 13,000 water tankers transports water to Chennai from surrounding communities like Karungizhi Palur and Mamandur hamlet in the north of the city. Farmers receive a monthly advance from the water dealers in exchange for the right to use the water resources on their property. In this way, the water that is taken away causes a shortfall for drinking water supplies in the villages as well as one for agricultural purposes. As a result, all of these cities and villages now have much lower groundwater levels.