Arvind Kejriwal promised free water in Delhi, DJB sends inflated bill of Rs 8,642 to this family
Much against the popular perception of drinking water being supplied free in the households of Delhi, a family in the northwest district has received two bills for the same period from the Delhi Jal Board. The bills are allegedly inflated and show a difference of over Rs 5,000.
In Short
- Family complains of inflated issued water bill by Delhi Jal Board.
- Delhi Jal Board delivered two bills to a family.
- Two water bills have a difference of over Rs 5,000.
Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party stormed to power in 2015 decimating the Congress and pushing the BJP to the margins with his promise of free water, cheaper electricity and corruption-free government.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lists free water to lakhs of households in the city as one of his achievements. But at a time when he sacked his Water Resource Minister Kapil Mishra - who has put Arvind Kejriwal in the dock with corruption allegations, a family in the northwest Delhi has got a water bill of Rs 8,642.
Madhav Sharan Shukla, a resident of Shalimar Bagh, was surprised when he found a bill delivered to him from the Delhi Jal Board of nearly Rs 9,000. "Wasn't drinking water supposed to be free under Arvind Kejriwal government," asks Shukla.
'WHAT HAPPENED TO WATER SWARAJYA'
"Arvind Kejriwal told us that they would bring water swarajya in Delhi. We supported him for this. What happened to the promise of water swarajya," asked Shukla.
In 2015, the AAP promised to bring Water Swarajya in Delhi saying that they "will provide Water as a Right" to every household in the city.
Sudha, Shukla's wife' said, "We have been using the same quantity of water. Our water usage has not changed. We have got such an inflated bill for the first time. The bills were never so high during Sheila Dikshit government."
"The Delhi Jal Board officials say that this is the combined bill for the period (of one year)," Madhav Shukla added.
The water bill - dated March 28 - that was delivered to Shukla read 'current period charges' and contains arrear of Rs 10,109.54 and after making some 'adjustment', the payable amount has been billed at Rs 8,642.
DJB 'RECTIFIES BILL' AFTER COMPLAINT
Nervous after seeing the bill amount Shukla made a few rounds to the Delhi Jal Board office at Ashok Vihar - the regional centre for the area. Shukla got to speak to some of the officials registering his complaint.
"I asked the DJB officials as to how they calculated my water bill. They told me that my meter was not functional, so standard bill has been sent to me," Shukla said adding, "But, none of the DJB men, who came to take down the meter reading ever complained of non-functional water meter. And, how all of a sudden they come to know that it was not working for two years?"
Meanwhile, Shukla was isistent and kept visiting the Delhi Jal Board office. He was later told that his bill was being revived as 'erroneous' copy of the same was delivered to him.
Shukla got another water bill dated May 1 with payable amount of Rs 3,553 without making any 'adjustment'.
The new bill reads 'current period charges' for April 20, 2016 to April 17, 2017 against January 29, 2017 to February 19, 2017.
Shukla family is still not convinced with the calculations of the DJB officials. Sudha Shukla insists that the 'water usage' has not changed.
Previous payment history shows Shukla family paying a maximum bill of Rs 300 for June-August 2015. The last water bill paid by Shukla family for February-April 2016 was of Rs 130.
The family is planning to raise the issue in Janata Darbar of Arvind Kejriwal.
WHAT AAP MANIFESTO 2015 SAID
In its manifesto for the Delhi Assembly election in 2015, the AAP promised -
It will provide universal access to clean drinking water to all its citizens of Delhi at an affordable price.The DJB Act will be amended to make clean drinking water a right of people.Free Lifeline Water: AAP will ensure free lifeline water of upto 20 kiloliter to every household with DJB's metered water connection.
Incidentally, presenting the AAP government's budget in March, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Mansih Sisodia said that the Delhi Jal Board's revenue went up by Rs 178 crore despite providing free water to over 12.5 lakh consumers. Shukla family is certainly not one of those.
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