The Hindu : New Delhi News : BJP to move court against water tariff

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

BJP to move court against water tariff

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, APRIL 11. Further intensifying its protest against the Delhi Government over the increase in water charges in the Capital, the local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party today said it was planning to move court against the Government's decision to raise water prices.

The senior BJP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister, Madan Lal Khurana, and the Delhi BJP chief, Harsh Vardhan, alleged that the State Government was secretly executing plans to privatise the water utility. "If one analysed the recent modus operandi of the Delhi Jal Board, it was clearly evident that privatisation process of the water utility has already begun,'' said Mr. Khurana.

Accusing Ms. Sheila Dikshit of befooling people in the name of reducing water tariff at the time of revising slabs, Mr. Khurana said the hardest hit by the steep hike in water were people belonging to the middle and lower middle classes.

"In fact, the changes made in the slabs have further increased water tariff. Moreover, the new additional fixed charges are also a massive burden on poor citizens," he added.

According to Mr. Khurana, before the privatisation of power distribution in the Capital, electricity tariff were raised. Similarly water tariff was being raised now to attract more and more global players for privatisation of the Delhi JalBoard, he charged. As magnetic power meters were replacing the electronic ones, similarly new water meters were being introduced by the DJB, he added.

The BJP's Delhi unit president, Dr. Vardhan, alleged that Ms. Dikshit was blatantly lying to the public on the privatisation issue and soon the hike in water charges collection would prove that the stage was being set for handing over the DJB to private hands. "As we see no assurance coming from the Centre on the issue of privatisation or tariff, we have decided to move the Delhi High Court in two weeks' time," said Dr. Vardhan.

Alleging that the Delhi Government had raised water bills by as many as 10 times, Dr. Vardhan said the DJB was forcing consumers to install foreign-made water meters just to benefit multinational companies. "With the installation of these meters, consumers will have to pay 30 per cent additional amount as it would run fast as is in the case of electronic water meters. The DJB was installing its old meters and forcing people to take new meters that cost at least Rs.900 while the Indian meters are worth Rs.200. This clearly highlights the motive of the Delhi Government," he added.

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