AAP announces protests in Delhi to push water bills scheme

The AAP in an official statement said that due to the intervention and pressure put by the LG, Delhi government officials have refused to implement the scheme

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday announced that it will soon launch protests against the alleged hurdles being put before the implementation of the Delhi Jal Board’s One-Time Settlement Scheme for water bill arrears “at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena”.

AAP alleged that over 10 lakh families are not paying their bills as meter readers not being noted on time. (Representational image)

The BJP, meanwhile, said that the AAP government fails to fully implement the scheme-related administrative procedures and then blames and targets the officials.

HT reached out to LG office, but the officials did not respond to request for comment.

AAP functionaries, MLAs, councillors and cabinet ministers held a meeting at the Civic Centre on Sunday over the scheme being allegedly obstructed by bureaucrats. In a statement, AAP said due to LG’s pressure, government officials have refused to implement it.

Delhi minister Gopal Rai said that the problem of increased water bills is being faced across Delhi. “Wherever I go, people raise this problem. It is unfortunate that despite the constitutional decision of the five-member bench of the Supreme Court, the elected government of Delhi has been usurped by the BJP-led central government. Inside Delhi, a double government is being run by LG by controlling the officials of Delhi,” he added.

Rai said that the other government has been installed by BJP that works under the leadership of the LG. “Efforts are being made to stall the Delhi government through the DJB officials. By bringing the government to a standstill, wrong bills are being forcibly imposed on people. Now, we will protest again against this dictatorship of BJP,” he added.

Water minister Atishi said, “Over 10 lakh families are not paying their bills as meter readers not being noted on time and also as proper readings were not taken for one-and-a half year during Covid. We got the scheme passed from the DJB, but the BJP does not tolerate solutions to the problems of the people of Delhi. LG and BJP have complete control over the bureaucracy of Delhi. Therefore, through Delhi officials, BJP has stopped the scheme.”

Delhi minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that officials have refused to put up the scheme before the cabinet for approval. “Now we are going to launch a big movement regarding the settlement of bills,” he added.

BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “The Kejriwal government is an anarchic government that announces schemes arbitrarily, then fails to fully implement the related administrative procedures, and when an official raises objections, the entire government starts targeting the official.”

He added, “For the water bill waiver scheme proposed by the Delhi government, it is necessary to complete an administrative process of approvals.”