DJB to pay Rs 5,000 for issuing bill without meter reading

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has been directed by a consumer forum here to pay Rs 5,000 to one of its customers for issuing a bill without ascertaining the actual water consumption.
The North East District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum observed that DJB had issued the bill without verifying if there was a meter installed and if installed, what was the reading on it.
"The entire circumstance reflects that the bill has been issued without verifying the factual position and without taking any reading from the meter. We allow this complaint.
"The respondent (DJB) is directed to take the reading from the meter installed on the premises of the complainant and thereafter raise a fresh bill in accordance with law and rules.

"Since the complainant has been harassed, we award a compensation of Rs 5,000 to her. This will also include the cost of litigation," a bench presided by N A Zaidi said.
The forum's order came on the complaint of Delhi resident Usha Gupta, who had alleged that the DJB had issued inflated bills to her when her water consumption was very less.

She had also alleged that the civic agency had not recorded the reading of the water meter installed at her premises before generating the bill.
DJB in its reply, submitted before the forum, contended that the bill issued was correct as they had recorded the meter reading.

The forum, however, rejected the contention, saying it was not clear from the records submitted by DJB as to whether the meter was installed during the period for which the bill was issued.