Water bill arrears by Delhi Police: NGT notice to Delhi govt

New Delhi, May 18: The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday (May 18) sought response from the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government and Delhi Police on a plea claiming that city police has not paid its water bill amounting to over Rs 232 crore.

A bench headed by Justice U D Salvi issued notices to the Delhi government, Delhi Jal Board Delhi Pollution Control Committee and Delhi Police while seeking their reply in three weeks. The matter is now listed for next hearing on July 5.

The order came on the plea of Delhi resident Sanjay Kumar who told the bench that he has learnt through RTI replies that Delhi Police not paid its water bills to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).

"For example, the applicant has learnt from the reply of the RTI provided by the Delhi Police itself that the consolidated Bill amount payable by the SHO, Office Kamla Market, Police Station Building, Delhi runs into more than Rs 27 crore," Kumar said.

The plea, filed through advocate Gaurav Bansal, has sought directions to Delhi Police to pay the pending Water Bills including Water Cess to the Delhi Government so that the amount could be used by the Delhi Government for the welfare of the people of National Capital.

It has also sought directions to DJB to submit "the status report on the issue of outstanding water bills which are pending on other government agencies."

"It is respectfully submitted that the applicant has not received many bills of various police stations of national capital from the DJB and Delhi Police and as such has a serious apprehension that the pending water bills might run into more than Rs. 300 crores.

"As per section 11 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977 if any amount of cess payable by any person or any local authority is not paid to the state government within the date is specified in the order of assessment, the same shall be deemed to be in arrears and the authority has the power to impose penalty not exceeding the amount of cess in arrears," the plea said.

PTI