Even as confusion prevails on how consumers will be billed following the announcement of the AAP Government’s free water scheme, Delhi Jal Board officials said they are devising a mechanism that will ensure that the benefits of the sop would reach the citizens. As a part of their ‘Revenue Monitoring System’, the Jal Board has brought in technological support that would raise bills as per the monthly water consumption limit fixed under the scheme.
“The benefits will reach the consumers. We have a software-based system into which the data has been keyed in. The bills will be raised based on proportionate usage of water since January 1,” DJB Chief Executive Officer Vijay Kumar told The Hindu . The AAP Government’s free water scheme that ensured each household with a metered connection would be entitled to 666 litres of water per day or 20 kilolitres per month. However, households consuming more than 20 kilolitres will have to pay the entire bill. The scheme came into effect on January 1.
The Jal Board officials, however, said that the cut-off date for the billing cycle every month is being worked out. Presently, consumers in the Capital get billed every 3 to 4 months but the Jal Board plans to introduce a bi-monthly billing system for domestic consumers. While domestic consumers will be billed bi-monthly, bulk consumers such as group housing societies would have to pay water bills every month.
Interestingly, the water scheme has given impetus to more consumers opting to get meters installed in their households to derive benefits, sources in the Jal Board said. There are 19.5 lakh metered connections across the city.
Meanwhile, in order to streamline the water distribution system, the Jal Board will conduct a “training cum sensitisation” workshop for all the revenue department officials from top to bottom including meter readers on Saturday.
The Jal Board is also taking several measures to ensure better distribution of water in areas which are fed by tankers. After putting up the details of the water tankers on the net, plans are being made to inform people about them by putting information on display boards in the colonies itself, said an official.
