'DJB extended substantial benefit to housing societies'

Calling a report captioned 'Housing societies to cough up hefty water arrears' that appeared in HT on Tuesday "misleading", the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Wednesday claimed HT did not mention "facts" about "substantial benefit extended by DJB to consumers in group housing societies".

Calling a report captioned 'Housing societies to cough up hefty water arrears' that appeared in HT on Tuesday "misleading", the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Wednesday claimed HT did not mention "facts" about "substantial benefit extended by DJB to consumers in group housing societies".

HT Image

The report stated how after losing a case in the Delhi High Court in connection with the manner in which the DJB levied service charge for bulk connections, group-housing societies across Delhi would now need to cough up arrears since 2004 running into lakhs of rupees.

"As per the High Court order dated February 4, 2011, the petitioners were granted three months time to pay the due service charge, payment of which had remained stayed under interim orders of the court, together with an interest at the rate of 9% per annum from the date when the charges fell due and till the date of payment. However, in the interest of its consumers, DJB waived off this 9% per annum interest on the recovery of pending amount," Sanjam Chima, DJB's Consultant (PR) said.

Further, the DJB said it extended 30% rebate scheme on arrears of water bills for payments of outstanding arrears made up to July 31, 2013 to all societies even though the benefit was not applicable for service charge arrear bills.

"As a further concession, we have decided to allow payment of such service charge arrear bill in a maximum of 12 installments without late payment surcharge," she added.