Deputy CM: Water bill arrears not to be recovered in rural areas

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today directed the officials of the Jal Shakti Department that the outstanding water bills of any person in rural areas should not be recovered. He issued the directive after chairing a meeting of the Superintending Engineers and senior officers of the department at Dharamsala.

Agnihotri issued the directive after many people in rural areas complained to him that they were getting inflated water bills due to the previous recoveries by the department. He said that if by mistake a bill with the outstanding amount had been sent to someone, it should be withdrawn immediately. “Officials will not be spared for negligence in this regard. In rural areas, only a Rs 100 bill per month will be taken from people,” he added.

Agnihotri reviewed various works related to the Jal Shakti Department and took full details of the projects from the officials. He instructed them to complete all pending works related to the department in the state within a stipulated time. Chief Engineer Anju Sharma presented detailed information about the department. She said that in the past two years, the department had completed 546 water supply and 174 irrigation schemes in the state. Besides, five sewage treatment plants and 10 flood protection works had been completed.

Agnihotri said that vacant posts in the department would be filled in a phased manner and recruitment would also be done on compassionate grounds. The officials raised the issue of regularisation of various posts and filling vacant posts. He assured them that their promotion would be done on time. He said that soon the government would make recruitment on compassionate grounds.

He said the department should work towards rational management of water so that there is no hindrance in water supply in the state in the coming time due to drought.