DJB Director (Revenue) Paras Ram said in a circular: "The Chairperson of Delhi Jal Board vide his order dated June 30 has approved extension of the scheme up to September 30, 2020." The deadline has been extended several times earlier too.

 

All revenue officers should give wide publicity to the scheme and ensure necessary action for raising bills as per the scheme and wherever possible, it added.

 

Taking to Twitter, DJB Vice-Chairman and AAP leader Raghav Chadha said that the extension will benefit those who have not been able to avail of the scheme due to lockdown restrictions.

 

He said that the Kejriwal government had decided to extend the rebate scheme due to the fact that many consumers would avoid visiting their respective ZRO offices during the coronavirus pandemic.

 

"Considering both the physical and financial health of the Delhi Jal Board consumers, an appropriate decision has been taken. The Board is very much alive to the restriction on movement and the inability of consumers to visit the Zonal Revenue Offices (ZRO) offices during this pandemic," Chadha added.

 

In August last year, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced a one-time water arrear waiver for over 13 lakh defaulting consumers with functional meters in a bid to make them pay their pending bills.

 

The scheme will cover the consumers whose bills were pending till March 31, 2019. Under the scheme, 100 per cent Late Payment Surcharge (LPSC) waiver will be given to all domestic and commercial consumers.

 

The rebate in principal amount will be on the basis of category of colonies. In Delhi, colonies are graded from categories A to H by the municipal corporations for the purpose of imposing house tax. The E, F, G and H category areas will be completely exempted from paying the pending bills till March 31, 2019.

 

A 75 per cent exemption will be given to consumers residing in D category areas. People living in C category areas will receive 50 per cent exemption while A and B category areas will be given exemption up to 25 per cent on the water bills.

 

Consumers who install meters after the commencement of the scheme are required to submit applications to furnish their names, addresses, and documents of meters installed to their respective ZROs. The form may be dropped in the "Meter Installation Intimation Box" placed at the ZRO offices.