After several complaints were received about irregularities in meter reading across the city, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) vice chairman Saurabh Bharadwaj chaired a meeting with the officials on Tuesday. The representatives of the private billing agencies of all 21 zones were also present in the meeting held at DJB headquarters.
Bharadwaj also took stock of the water billing issues from all zones and asked all the representatives what concrete steps they took on receiving the complaints of meter reading discrepancies. He also directed all the private agencies to take immediate action against those meter readers who are indulging in water reading frauds and demanding money from consumers. Bharadwaj also directed the private agencies that any meter reader on whom action is taken for such delinquency, he should be blacklisted instantly so that he is not re-employed by any other agency of Delhi Jal Board in future.
“We also have to make the consumers aware about this issue so that when water readers demand money from them, they do not get into his tactics and immediately file a complaint,” said Bharadwaj. Delhi Jal Board has a total of 41 zones and private agencies have been appointed for the water billing in 21 zones. He also took cognizance of the fact that some of the private agencies pay less than minimum wage to their meter readers and said that if the private agencies don’t pay the minimum wages to the meter readers, they will start indulging in corrupt practices.
“Because of the non-payment of minimum wages by the private agencies, the meter readers begin to demand money from consumers and this brings disrepute to the government,” said Bharadwaj. Bharadwaj directed the officials of DJB to issue notices to the private agencies that are paying less than the minimum wages to their water meter readers.