Waiver plans of Delhi Government in respect of water bills - CIC directed the President/Hans Bhawan Friends CGHS Ltd to inform what exactly are the dues to be paid by the appellant for water consumption and how much they have collected from the members
16 Jul, 2016FACTS:
2. The appellant filed the RTI application seeking information about the rules under which his benefits under waiver plans of Delhi Government were not extended to him and he was made to pay arrears of water bills which had been waived for him. The CPIO gave information on all points. The appellant filed appeal before the first appellate authority (FAA). FAA directed CPIO to provide the information. Dissatisfied, the appellant filed a second appeal before this Commission under section 19(3) A second appeal against the decision under sub-section (1) shall lie within ninety days from the date on which the decision should have been made or was actually received, with the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission: Provided that the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, may admit the appeal after the expiry of the period of ninety days if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time. of the RTI Act.
DECISION:
3. Both the parties made their submissions. The PIO/DJB submitted that they are supplying to the water to the Housing Society, which is their customer. The appellant who is a member of the housing society is getting water through the society, which collecting the water dues from the appellant and is paying the same to the DJB as a single customer. Whatever benefits the Delhi Government had sanctioned to the DJB customers, the same are passed on to the Society, which is supposed to pass on the same to its members. The appellant complained that the society had not passed on the benefit of waiver of old water bills, to its members and when there are 48 flats which are vacant, out of 253, the members are compelled to pay uniformly for the 48 flats also. The society is also imposing 5% surcharge on its members, which is illegal, as only DJB can directly collect the surcharge from the its customers and it has not charged any surcharge on the society.
4. The Commission having heard the submissions and perused the record, directs the President/Hans Bhawan Friends CGHS Ltd to inform the Commission and DJB/the appellant, what exactly are the dues/arrears to be paid by the appellant for water consumption and how much they have collected from the members of the society and the appellant in particular, and how much they have paid to the DJB, whether the society should extend the scheme of waiver of water bills, offered by the Delhi Government. The Society is also directed to explain why 5% is being charged from the appellant in the name of surcharge per month and how the appellant was required to pay a heavy amount of Rs.4 lakhs. The PIO/RCS is directed to coordinate with the concerned society and get the above information supplied to the Commission with a copy to the appellant, within 15 days from the date of receipt of this order. The appeals are disposed of accordingly.
(M. Sridhar Acharyulu)
Information Commissioner
Citation: H.P.Nanda Vs. Delhi Jal Board/Registrar of Cooperative Societies in Case No. CIC/SA/A/2015/001782 CIC/SA/A/2015/001786