Police colony doesn’t pay for water,HC says cut from salary

The petition stated that water was not adequately supplied to 672 MIG flats in the colony,and that the groundwater there was not of drinking quality.

Earlier,the court had passed interim orders directing the Delhi Development Authority (DDA),obligated to maintain the colony,and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to ensure sufficient supply of water to the houses. A test of the water by three laboratories was also ordered to vet potability of the groundwater.

During the last hearing,the DDA and DJB adduced affidavits on record,stating that groundwater was being supplied to the colony after chlorination and filtration. “The water is potable and drinkable,” lawyers of the civic agencies read out from the test reports.

Satisfied with the reports,Justice Hima Kohli put on record that the grievance of the RWA on the potability of water had been addressed.

Subsequently,the DDA counsel brought to the court’s notice contentions regarding piling up of arrears towards water charges.

Advocate M K Singh said that ever since the court passed the interim order directing them to supply sufficient water,members of the RWA had stopped paying for the water,and the arrears that had accumulated were a drain on the resources of the agencies.

Singh said there was no method available to make recoveries since many residents would have relocated elsewhere by the time the case was decided.

Finding substance in the argument,the court noted that since residents were being supplied treated groundwater,it would only be “appropriate” that basic reimbursement be made by them to the DDA and DJB at the same rate as was being recovered from similarly situated residents in Narela.

“It is deemed expedient to direct that pending a decision in the writ petition,Delhi Police shall make a deduction of a flat amount of Rs 172 per month from the salary of each of the residents of the Society employed with Delhi Police and forward the said amount on a monthly basis to the DDA,which shall in turn be shared by DDA with DJB as per their mutual arrangement,” Justice Kohli said.