Delhi Jal Board Fail to recover the cost of Rs. 3.95 crores.
Failure of Delhi Jal Board to have any Agreement with Delhi Development Authority before the supply of treated effluent water (TEW) to its Golf Course at Bhalswa resulted in non-recovery of Rs. 3.95 crore as cost of TEW supplied for the period from April 2004 to March 2016.
The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) supplies treated effluent water (TEW) from its Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) on charges to different agencies of the Government for horticulture, irrigation, and commercial purposes. Prior to 01 April 2010, the rate for TEW was 1.25 per kiloliter (KL) which was revised to 4 per KL from 01 April 2010 and thereafter to 7 per KL from 05 February 2014.
During the audit of the DJB division SDW-VII, NSTP Coronation Pillar for the period 2014-15, it was observed that DDA was drawing TEW for gardening/ horticulture purpose for the Golf Course at Bhalswa from Minor Irrigation Distribution Channel (MIDC) through a Pump House having three pump sets of capacity 122 cum/hour. The daily withdrawal of TEW was assessed by DJB to be 3,538 KL and DDA was requested to deposit Rs. 83.29 lakh as charges for using TEW for five years. However, there were no prior agreed modalities or Agreements between DJB and DDA for the supply of TEW to DDA and the cost to be charged.
DJB pursued the issue of recovery of charges for use of TEW through letters sent in November 2009 and February 2010. In response, DDA stated (March 2010) that treated effluent was being used only for gardening purposes in Bhalswa Golf Course and there was no commercial use. It also claimed that in a meeting held at the Raj Niwas it was decided that DDA could use treated water free of cost provided pipeline was laid by it. However, DJB did not accept DDA’s contention and requested DDA (03 July 2010) to deposit the amount of Rs. 80.71 lakh immediately.
In August 2011, Chief Executive Officer, DJB took up the matter with the Vice Chairman DDA and requested him to issue directions to the concerned officials to deposit an amount of Rs. 108.79 lakh towards the use of TEW for the Bhalswa Golf Course for the period up to 31 March 2011. Subsequently, DJB raised updated demands on Executive Engineer, ND-1, DDA Complex, Pitampura, with a copy endorsed to Secretary, Bhalswa Golf Course (DDA) but no further progress could be made for recovery of the outstanding amount. As of March 2016, the outstanding amount to be recovered from DDA accumulated to Rs. 3.95 crore for the period from April 2004 to March 2016.
Thus, the failure of DJB to have any Agreement with DDA before the supply of TEW resulted in the non-recovery of Rs. 3.95 crore as cost of TEW supplied for the period from April 2004 to March 2016.
The matter was referred to the Government in July 2016 their reply was awaited (December 2016).
