RWAs condemn Delhi govt decision to give 'perks' to bureaucrats

New Delhi, Jun 8 (UNI) RWAs all across Delhi have criticised the decision of the Delhi Government to reimburse to a select categories of bureaucrats part of their water and electricity bills and also give them a 'servant' allowance.

Condemning what it described as "Delhi Government's largesse to "certain favourites", the United Residents Joint Action said,''this decision is an interesting reflection of our current campaign to pay only 50 per cent of our bills. Either this is an indirect admission of the fact that even bureaucrats have joined our campaign, or this Government is keeping some people happy for dubious reasons.'' Reacting strongly to this development, Anant Trivedi, Convenor South Delhi URJA asked, " Who decided that this rebate is available to the Delhi Government to throw around as a job incentive? Was the DERC asked, and under what clause have they allowed this departure from norms ? " ''For a city that is reeling under abnormal tariff rates, to mark out a few chosen favourites for a 50 per cent discount smacks of favouritism and suspect motives,''Rakjesh Dokwal, URJA Coordinator for East Delhi said.

URJA members have decided to organise protest meetings all over Delhi against this development and bring greater attention to the issue of artificially hiking tariffs to neutralise power theft losses to the benefit of DISCOMS.

At a meeting held this morning by the core managing group of URJA to discuss the development, People's Action President, Sanjay Kaul said that the decision would ''only irritate consumers who are already protesting that they are being made to pay for somebody else's crime through increased tariffs. Let the Government either extend it to all residents or withdraw it.'' The order was also criticised by traders who described it as 'unilateral and discriminatory' and demanded the government to first define the responsibilities of officials who are often found to indulge in dereliction in their duties.

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