Dikshit, DJB put on notice over water meter

The Delhi High Court has sought the stand of chief minister Sheila Dikshit and the DJB chairperson and CEO on a plea to launch contempt of court proceedings against them for their alleged failure in framing rules on installation of water meters and fixing a fee for the same.

The Delhi High Court has sought the stand of chief minister Sheila Dikshit and the DJB chairperson and CEO on a plea to launch contempt of court proceedings against them for their alleged failure in framing rules on installation of water meters and fixing a fee for the same.

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The government and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) were to frame the rules in consultation with each other by March this year.

Besides the Delhi government and the CM, the DJB chairperson and its chief executive officer (CEO), justice Vipin Sanghi also issued show cause notices to DJB Member (Finance) and Member (Water). He sought their replies by November 9 to the contempt plea made by the Association of Water Meter Manufacturers.

The association said that a single bench, on January 25, had directed DJB to frame rules regarding installation fee and rent to be paid for use, maintenance and testing of water meters by March, but no steps had been taken in this regard.

“Initiate contempt proceedings against contemners for deliberate and intentional breach of the judgement dated January 25 and punish them in accordance with the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act,” the petitioners said.

The water meter manufacturers in their plea had said that consumers were earlier allowed by the court to purchase water meters from the open market, but the DJB had no comprehensive guidelines relating to the usage and installation of the same.

“On a PIL by the RWA of Rajender Nagar, the division bench had allowed consumers to purchase water meters for installation from the open market and had asked the DJB to frame comprehensive guidelines relating to the usage and installation fee....,” the meter manufactures said.