Kejriwal Summons All-Party Meet on Water Bills

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called for an all-party meeting on Thursday to address the escalating issue of water bills in the capital. Scheduled for today at 4 pm at the CM’s residence, the meeting aims to discuss potential solutions to the rising bills.

A source within the party revealed that the Kejriwal government is keen on introducing a one-time settlement scheme regarding the increased water bills. This scheme will be a focal point of discussion during the upcoming all-party meeting.

On June 14, 2023, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had unveiled the ‘One Time Settlement Scheme,’ designed to resolve pending water bills for consumers in Delhi. According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), of the approximately 27.6 lakh consumers in Delhi, around 11.7 lakh consumers have accumulated outstanding dues totaling Rs 5,737 crore.

Under the proposed scheme, slated to come into effect on August 1, the government plans to completely waive pending water bills for 7 lakh consumers. This initiative is aimed at providing substantial relief to those who have been facing challenges in meeting their payment obligations.

During a press conference, CM Kejriwal emphasized, “We are introducing a significant scheme for the residents of Delhi. The people of Delhi have been eagerly awaiting this announcement for several months. Some residents have been accumulating water bills for a considerable period.”

Explaining the circumstances, he noted, “There are several factors contributing to this situation. One major reason is the inability to conduct meter readings during the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, there have been cases of erroneous meter readings and incorrect billing.”

Of the 27.6 lakh domestic water meters in the city, Kejriwal highlighted that 11.7 lakh households have pending water bills. “For various reasons, residents of these 11.7 lakh households have not cleared their bills, resulting in a total amount of Rs 5,737 crore. Addressing all these bills and investigating the discrepancies would take over 100 years, which is not feasible. Hence, we have devised a one-time settlement scheme for these households,” he elaborated.

The bills have been categorized into two groups: those with two ‘okay readings,’ where the meter has been read at least twice with mutual agreement, and those with one or zero ‘okay’ readings, as stated by the CMO release.

Kejriwal expressed confidence that the one-time settlement scheme will significantly benefit a majority of consumers. “This scheme has received approval from the DJB in their recent meeting. It now needs to go through the Cabinet and fulfill other formalities. We anticipate its implementation by August 1, valid for a three-month period,” he informed.

Regarding the new bills generated after August 1, Kejriwal explained, “These bills will be based on the new scheme, giving consumers three months to settle the bill. If the consumer fails to clear the new bill within the stipulated three months, they will revert to the previous policy and be required to pay the pending amount without the benefits of the settlement scheme,” he clarified.

In conclusion, Kejriwal stated, “Many of these issues stem from incorrect meter readings or negligence on the part of meter readers. The government is actively working on policies to address these issues and will provide further details to the public in due course.”