STEP MOTHERLY TREATMENT TO THE RESIDENTS OF GROUP HOUSING SOCIETIES BY AAP GOVERNMENT

in a hard hitting statement released by the Residents Federation of Rohini Coop. Group Housing Societies condemned the step motherly treatment meted out to their residents in respect of so called reduction in water and electricity charges for the Delhi residents.

S.K. Sharma, President of the Society said that the AAP Government is in such a hurry in order to appease the residents of Delhi in view of garnering their votes for forthcoming Parliamentary elections it has not even applied its mind before giving respite to all the residents of Delhi as promised. In all fairness policy decisions could be taken by the minority AAP government only after obtaining the vote of confidence on the floor of the house and proper application of mind.

Free water benefit must reach to all residents of Delhi in order to uphold the dignity of our Constitution that speaks of equality and no government has the right to create classifications or groups in view of the fact that every citizen is equal before the law. In Delhi there are five types of water consumers i.e. consumers residing in NDMC area, Delhi Cantonment, unmetered consumers who will get no relief. Who will measure the consumption of unmetered consumers? Can they be allowed free water at the cost of other metered consumers, if so; this will be violative of our Constitution.

In respect of Group Housing Societies there is no relief. It is a common knowledge that the societies may have 100 to 700 flats but they have a common water meter and therefore, obviously the reading of all the flats shall be merged in single meter and the consumption shall exceed far beyond 20,000 Ltrs. In view of this the societies shall have to cough up 10% more charges in addition to the 10% increase every year on 1st January that earler Kejriwal promised to roll back when he was an agitationist. Therefore, the societies shall have to pay 20% more charges what to talk of free 20,000 ltrs of water as announced by the AAP Govt. All water supply infrastructure is also created by the societies from their own funds i.e. underground water tanks, pumps, plumber and has to also consume electricity charges at highest slab for running these pumps to boost up water to the respective over-head tanks of the each individual flat in view of the very low water pressure of the Delhi Jal Board. On such investments it costs around 400 to 500 rupees for each consumer per month in addition to the water charges. In other private colonies all such infrastructure is provided at the cost of the Delhi Jal Board/Government.

Similary, in respect of reduction in electricity charges the societies shall not get any benefit for the common area/street lights inside the society and for running the water pumps for which the societies are paying at the highest slab irrespective of the consumption which in other private colonies or colonies of the DDA etc. all such charges are borne by the government.

Why such step motherly treatment to the residents of Group Housing Societies? Are they not the residents of Delhi? Should the principle of equality not apply to them? Request Kejriwal to decide these issues in public interest after hearing his inner soul and bring all societies residents at par with other consumers of Delhi.