IAS officer under ACB probe in DJB water meter case

Two cases of alleged irregularities pertain to purchase of water meters. One FIR alleges financial irregularities in the purchase of four lakh AMR and non-AMR water meters with a purported intent to favour one particular company, which resulted in a loss of around Rs 150 crore to the government.

The second FIR pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the purchase of 3.5 lakh non-AMR water meters on the basis of a single tender to benefit a particular private company, resulting in an approximate loss of Rs 33 crore to the exchequer.

A third case of alleged financial malfeasance pertains to award of work at a water treatment plant to a private firm. The FIR alleges that various works at the plant were wrongly awarded to a private company at inflated costs, resulting in losses to the tune of Rs 158 crore.

The complainant in the FIRs related to water meters was also called to the ACB office on Wednesday. Sources said he submitted information — most of it procured through the RTI — related to the purchases.

Sources said the role of the IAS officer in the tender process related to water meters was being probed. A senior officer in the ACB said the DJB issued a tender for water meters, which met international standards. All Indian companies could not qualify as their meters met BIS standards and the private company in question was considered.

However, when its meters were sent for testing to a lab in Kerala, they failed the test. Despite this, the FIR alleges that the rules were amended by the DJB, which later said the private company could be given the tender if it met BIS standards and that it did not need to meet international standards.

The Delhi government had earlier ordered that households could install any water meter that met the standards laid down by the DJB. An average water meter costs a maximum Rs 4,000. However, the private company that was given the contract allegedly not only charge double the cost it claimed included installation charges but, at the time of installation, charged an additional Rs 500 per meter, the FIR states.