AAP forcing residents to install water meters it had claimed were faulty: BJP

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government was forcing people to install the same water meters that it had declared faulty during the election campaign.

Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay said chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has raised objections over the installation of AMR water meters and had even lodged a FIR in this context.

“Now that they are in charge of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the department has forcibly started a campaign of installing the same AMR meters. For the last one month, DJB teams accompanied SATISH UPADHYAY, Delhi BJP president

by the police are working overtime to change water meters and install AMR meters. Those who dare to protest are served show cause notices and threatened by officials with disconnection and water theft cases,” said Upadhyay.

Along with members of Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs), Upadhyay said that those paying ` 500 are now getting a bill of `20,000 after installing new meters.

“Kejriwal had claimed that the meters even calculated the air flow and this is true with the meters that the DJB was now asking the residents to install,” Upadhyay added.

DJB vice-chairman Kapil Mishra said any DJB official found forcing residents to change their meters would be sacked. “There was a problem in meters and the AAP government had ordered a probe, which is pending. We have ordered that no one will be forced to change their meters. If BJP has evidence, they must give it to us and we will take action,” he said.

Upadhyay slammed AAP’s 20,000-litre free water promise as hardly 30 percent of Delhiites who have metered connections will benef. “People in illegal colonies, slum clusters and rural Delhi, who do not have metered connections, stand nowhere. Half of Delhi is still living on water tanker supply. Above all, the moment a consumer uses 20,001 litres, he has to pay for the entire consumption,” he said.