NEW DELHI: Delhi Jal Board (DJB) work may get severely affected from Monday as the DJB Contractors Welfare Association has decided to put on hold all the work due to non-payment of dues since February 2023, a letter written by it to the board’s additional chief engineer stated.
The letter dated November 24 reads, “In reference to the association’s earlier letter addressed to the CEO (DJB), the payments due since February 2023 have not been released to date after so many requests.
In view of the same, an executive committee meeting was held with all the contractors on November 23 to discuss the present situation of financial hardships being faced by all the working contractors of the department”.
The letter further reads, “After detailed deliberations and finding no options, it was unanimously decided that all the ongoing works related to water leakage, water contamination, maintenance of water supply, settled sewerage system, maintenance of sewerage system, operations of tube wells and pumping stations, providing sewer beldarsengagement labours and desilting work will be stopped with effect from November 27.”
The letter also stated that the work once stopped will be taken up only and only on the receipt of the due payments by the contractors.DJB vice chairman Somnath Bharti said that the Delhi government has been doing everything possible to ensure the release of funds for the last three months and they will reach out to the L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena once again for this purpose.
Bharti said, “The water minister has repeatedly directed the finance department regarding the same, and even wrote to the L-G to ensure this. Despite repeated directions from the minister, the finance department has not released funds for the last three months. They keep on raising different queries and objections to delay the release of funds. It’s noteworthy that since the GNCTD (Amendment) Act came into force, Delhi govt doesn’t have the power to take disciplinary action against such officers.”