The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) of Delhi Government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-controlled North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMC) have locked horns over unpaid bills. While the NMC has slapped a bill amount of Rs540 crore on DJB, the DJB has responded in equal terms by asking the corporation to pay the outstanding water bill of Rs505 crore. The DJB has also threatened to cut the water connection to the NMC if the bill was not settled at the earliest.

Source said that the confrontation between the DJB and the NMC bodes ill for the consumers. The DJB has disconnected water connections of certain areas. It would be pertinent to mention that Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, Civic Centre at Minto Road may face water shortage if the DJB goes ahead and disconnects the water supply. NMC’s zonal offices would also be affected.

While the issue of compensation from the Delhi Government was still doing the rounds, the DJB has asked NMC to pay the water bill of about Rs505 crore which they claimed as unpaid by the corporation. In response, the north corporation answered back with a bill amount of Rs540 crore which includes property taxes and cutting charges. The DJB sent the outstanding water bill to NMC claiming that the amount has not been disbursed. However, officials in the corporation claim that portion of the bill has been paid by it.

The DJB then warned the corporation of cutting the water connection if it fails to pay the outstanding bill. The amount generated includes usage of water in MCD hospitals, dispensaries, schools and offices. Schools and hospitals alone amount to Rs400 crore. Notably, the DJB had cut the water connectivity of Hindu Rao Medical College, Civil line zone and some other areas. Moreover, the Corporation has said it would move the court if the DJB did not pay the outstanding amount. The bill includes amount for property tax, road cutting charges since year 1994.