From February 1, people who consume beyond 20,000 litres of water every month will have to pay 20 per cent more. (Photo: PTI)

On Tuesday, Delhi Jal Board announced that it will hike water charges for people consuming more than 20,000 litres of water every month. From February 1, people who consume beyond 20,000 litres of water every month will have to pay 20 per cent more. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who holds the water portfolio. The DJB will not charge extra from households consuming up to 20,000 litres a month, in line with the subsidy scheme of the Kejriwal government, which was a key poll promise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an official said. However, the reason for Delhi Jal Board to hike the charges is that the organisation has faced a revenue loss of Rs 516 crore in 2016-2017 and Rs 209 crore in the fiscal year before that. Dinesh Mohaniya, the DJB vice chairman said that the decision was not an easy to take. Dinesh Mohaniya is also the MLA from Sangam Vihar constituency.

Mohaniya also said the agency had to go for the hike due to the imposition of 18 per cent GST on new pipes. “For example, consuming 23,000 of water per month earlier cost Rs 465.55 per month, it will now be Rs. 514.79 per month; an increase of Rs. 49.24 per month. For consumption of 25,000 litres of water per month, the bill now will be Rs. 599.14 which earlier used to be Rs. 535.86; an increase of Rs. 63.28 per month,” the government said in a statement.

While speaking on the hike charges, Mohaniya also said, “DJB has reported revenue loss because of not increasing tariff in past years. Every year DJB members and officials demand an increase of 10% in charges because of different factors, which affect the cost, are continuously increasing… The government has always been of the view that tariff should not be increased but it (the latest increase) has to be done to sustain the DJB,” Mohaniya said.

The decision was, subsequently, criticised by BJP and Congress with its leaders attacking the AAP chief by invoking his vocal opposition to the recent Delhi metro fare hike. “The decision to raise the water and sewer charges by 20 per cent is an irresponsible act of the government,” said Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari. BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta requested the LG to direct the chief minister to roll back the hike. “The man who is raising a hue and cry over an increase in Delhi Metro fare shows no scruples in hiking tariff by 20 percent,” Gupta said.

Earlier, Delhi Jal Board had planned to issue notices to seven different government departments for non-payment of water bills. The dues of these government departments are amounting to Rs 3,220.12 crore.