New Delhi: Touching base with Delhiites in Kalkaji on Saturday, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal told them how the AAP govt wanted to give them a one-time water bill settlement opportunity but how the scheme was being obstructed by BJP. He, however, assured them that he would get the scheme passed “despite BJP’s hindrance through the lieutenant governor”.
Holding hands with people who had brought their inflated water bills, the CM walked along the lanes of Govindpuri.“The people are forced to keep visiting Delhi Jal Board offices. If they give bribes, their bills are corrected, otherwise not. I request all those who deem their bills incorrect to tear the bills,” Kejriwal said.
Govt would implement the settlement scheme as soon as possible. “If this cannot be done in a straight manner, we will do it in whatever way is possible” he added. The CM was accompanied by water minister Atishi, who is also MLA from the Kalkaji assembly constituency.
A resident claimed that he had a domestic water connection, but was receiving a commercial bill. Also, despite the water meter functioning, the bill said the meter was inactive. “I have sent applications saying my meter is active, but every time the bill comes with ‘meter inactive’ written on it,” he said.
According to DJB, more than 10 lakh of its 27 lakh consumers haven’t paid their bills for some time because of faulty billing. “It is wrong so I want to waive these incorrect bills. We have a scheme to waive off faulty bills, but BJP is stopping the scheme through the LG. BJP has a feud with me, but why are they harbouring such enmity for the citizens?” Kejriwal asked.
Kejriwal went on, “But I am here and I will get them corrected. However, BJP has stalled this scheme through the lieutenant governor’s intervention since the LG is on BJP’s side. BJP has also used the interventions of the bureaucracy to stop this scheme. Isn’t this deplorable?”
Raj Niwas did not respond to the allegations. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor has said the CM was misleading people. “As he has been engulfed by corruption allegations with people raising several questions about govt, all of a sudden Kejriwal himself brought up the issue of people getting exorbitant water bills from Delhi Jal Board.
Kapoor added that Delhi BJP had no problem with the state govt’s one-time settlement of these excessive water bills. “But,” he said, “our settlement suggestion is that because this problem was caused by the installation of faulty flow meters by DJB, therefore it would be much more appreciable if the water board offered zero bills to all customers who are disputing the bills.”
Holding hands with people who had brought their inflated water bills, the CM walked along the lanes of Govindpuri.“The people are forced to keep visiting Delhi Jal Board offices. If they give bribes, their bills are corrected, otherwise not. I request all those who deem their bills incorrect to tear the bills,” Kejriwal said.
Govt would implement the settlement scheme as soon as possible. “If this cannot be done in a straight manner, we will do it in whatever way is possible” he added. The CM was accompanied by water minister Atishi, who is also MLA from the Kalkaji assembly constituency.
A resident claimed that he had a domestic water connection, but was receiving a commercial bill. Also, despite the water meter functioning, the bill said the meter was inactive. “I have sent applications saying my meter is active, but every time the bill comes with ‘meter inactive’ written on it,” he said.
According to DJB, more than 10 lakh of its 27 lakh consumers haven’t paid their bills for some time because of faulty billing. “It is wrong so I want to waive these incorrect bills. We have a scheme to waive off faulty bills, but BJP is stopping the scheme through the LG. BJP has a feud with me, but why are they harbouring such enmity for the citizens?” Kejriwal asked.
Kejriwal went on, “But I am here and I will get them corrected. However, BJP has stalled this scheme through the lieutenant governor’s intervention since the LG is on BJP’s side. BJP has also used the interventions of the bureaucracy to stop this scheme. Isn’t this deplorable?”
Raj Niwas did not respond to the allegations. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor has said the CM was misleading people. “As he has been engulfed by corruption allegations with people raising several questions about govt, all of a sudden Kejriwal himself brought up the issue of people getting exorbitant water bills from Delhi Jal Board.
Kapoor added that Delhi BJP had no problem with the state govt’s one-time settlement of these excessive water bills. “But,” he said, “our settlement suggestion is that because this problem was caused by the installation of faulty flow meters by DJB, therefore it would be much more appreciable if the water board offered zero bills to all customers who are disputing the bills.”