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Despite HC order, Chandigarh MC planning to levy water meter cost on consumers
Around 44,000 water meters in Chandigarh have been lying defective for the past five years; as a result, consumers have been getting a flat bill irrespective of the water consumption
Nearly 23 years after the Punjab and Haryana High court’s 2000 order, directing the Chandigarh municipal corporation to install domestic water meters at its own cost, the civic body is planning to implement the Chandigarh Water Supply Bylaws, 2011, under which the cost to change faulty meters will be levied on the consumer.
The proposal in this regard will come up in the House meeting for approval on March 6.
Around 44,000 water meters in Chandigarh have been lying defective for the past five years. As a result, consumers have been getting a flat bill irrespective of the water consumption.
To address this, MC is planning to purchase and replace the meters after getting them tested. However, as per its proposal, the cost of the meter, which will come to around ₹2,500, will have to be footed by the consumers. Any other expenses for testing and installation will also be borne by the consumers and will be recovered through the water bills.
In 2000, the civic body had approved a similar agenda, following which the Consumers’ Association Chandigarh had approached the Punjab and Haryana high court.
Subsequently, the high court had directed MC to install water meters by itself and directed it to refund the cost of the water meter to the consumers through bimonthly bills.
However, failing to adhere to the court order, the civic body amended the bylaws in 2016, thereby adding the clause that the water meters’ cost will be borne by consumers only.
The amended rules also state that in case the defective water meters are not replaced in a specific time by the consumer, a penalty will be charged in the next billing cycle. The consumers installing the meters on their own will not be liable to pay meter rent and their meter security will be refunded.
RK Kaplash, chairman, Consumers’ Association Chandigarh, who filed the petition in court, said it was the civic body’s responsibility to install and replace the defective water meters and they could charge the meter rent as per the previous practice.
He further said when the civic body used to replace water meters at its own cost, the average defective rate was far lower, so it should continue to replace and install the meters on its own as per the high court order.
