In a major relief to thousands of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) consumers, the Delhi Government has decided to waive off accumulated late payment surcharge for all domestic consumers.
Now consumers will just have to pay the actual arrears as reflected in the current bill. Further, they have also been allowed to make payment of the actual arrears by March 31, 2014 through six installments.
In case, they make full payment of their arrears by July 31, 2013, they would become entitled to a further rebate of 30 per cent. DJB has also decided to waive full late payment surcharge levied on water bills for consumers in JJ & Resettlement Colonies.
DJB consumers and elected representatives have been raising a hue and cry over inflated water bills, causing embarrassment to the Delhi Government. It is estimated that the DJB is yet to recover Rs 450-crore in dues from consumers.
On each outstanding bill, five per cent late payment surcharge fee is levied in every billing cycle. With the waiver announced by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the DJB is set to lose nearly Rs 22.5 crore.
A dedicated helpline 23612222 has also been commissioned to respond to the consumers’ queries and address their grievances on billing.
Dikshit, who is also chairperson of the water board, gave a statement in the Delhi Assembly regarding the DJB’s efforts to provide relief to its consumers and reduce any inconvenience caused by the transition to the new revenue management system.
Under the new system, people will be able to track their water bills online and even receive SMSs on payment of outstanding amounts.
According to her statement, the DJB’s domestic consumers have been allowed to make payment of actual arrears as reflected in the current bill.
Hence, they will not have to pay the accumulated late payment surcharge. Further, they have also been allowed to pay actual arrears by March 31, 2014 through a maximum of six installments.
In case, they pay all the arrears by July 31, 2013, they would become entitled to a further rebate of 30 per cent.
Dikshit also said that the DJB has decided to waive off full late payment surcharge levied on water bills for consumers in JJ & Resettlement Colonies.
“They have also been given the facility to make payment of actual arrears in installments like other consumers. The consumers in JJ & Resettlement Colonies would also be eligible to a further rebate of 30 per cent on their actual arrears, in case, they pay the full amount by July 31, 2013,” she announced.
Dikshit further added that the DJB has extended floor–wise benefit to consumers with metered connections in JJ & Resettlement Colonies. It has been decided that consumption will be divided among the number of floors in respect of single water connections in multi-storied units in JJ & Resettlement Colonies.
Also, in order to encourage more people living in multi-storied units in JJ & Resettlement Colonies to get floor-wise connections the Government will put them in a lower consumption slab.
This benefit will be provided as per floor detail records available with the DJB.
Further, un-metered connections will be given floor-wise benefit from the date of installation of a water meter.
“Due to the changeover to the new system and transfer of huge data and the resultant cross-checking and verification, incidents of wrong billing are being reported by the consumers.
It is essential to look into these billing errors which happened due to extended billing periods and the earlier manual records,” she said.
Consumers can avail of this concession from April 1, 2013.
Dikshit exhorted the consumers to get their water meters installed. She expressed confidence that the relief measures would go a long way in overcoming most of the grievances relating to the bills.