Vice-Chairman of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Raghav Chadha on Wednesday met with Union Minister G Kishan Reddy regarding the mounting arrears of Rs 607 crore on Delhi Police towards the civic body and requested his intervention in recovering dues so that the financial challenges of the Board can be overcome and many far-reaching welfare projects be greenlit.
Chadha apprised the Minister of how the DJB had sent multiple show cause notices to Delhi Police but got no response. "This has hindered the smooth expedition of the functions and duties of the Board which is doing the groundwork for expanding its operations and bringing about revolutionary changes in the current structure of water supply as well as water management. All of this requires regular flow of finances. As such, releasing the dues owed to DJB would go a long way in meeting with necessary and immediate expenses," he said.
Chadha explained that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic condition of the state government is in bad shape therefore, the Delhi government is in the view to finish all such pending transactions in a bid to improve its economic condition, which will only go to serve the larger public.
“Delhi continues to reel in the aftermath of an extraordinary situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the city is treading cautiously towards a semblance of normalcy, an amount as high as what is due from the Delhi Police can be surmounted if the DJB receives its shares of outstanding dues,” said Chadha.
The Vice Chairman also said “We cannot ignore the most fundamental means of coping with financial challenges that we face today. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the aforementioned Central Government-run body, as well as the respective MCDs to expeditiously respond to our sincere and repeated requests and cooperatively work for the benefit and welfare of our society.”
“The pandemic and all of the other factors cumulatively, have now put DJB in a financially unsteady situation. If the dues are not cleared within the stipulated time, the Board shall be constrained to initiate coercive actions until the full and final payment is recovered. I do hope and wish that the need to press into service the rigours of penal provisions shall not arise," he said.