Vinit Wahi / New Delhi
Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken has condemned the AAP Government’s decision to increase the water charges by 20 per cent for those consuming more than 20,000 litres of water per month. He said the decision to increase the water charges was a retrograde step, as the Aam Aadmi Party, in its election manifesto, had promised to give free water upto 20,000 litres to the households of Delhi. He said in 2015, days after coming to power, the AAP Government had hiked the water tariff by 10 per cent for consumers falling in the same category. He said the Kejriwal Government has hiked the water charges to an astronomical 30 per cent within three years after coming to power to negate its hollow claim of providing free water to the citizens of Delhi.
Maken said ironically the latest 20 per cent hike in water charges for those consuming over 20,000 litres of water per month comes three months after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took the ministerial portfolio of water under him. He said like all other promises of Kejriwal, giving free water to the residents of Delhi has proved to be a hollow promise, as the AAP Government has been systematically breaking all its election promises one after another.
The DPCC chief said after hiking the water charges yet again, it would now be the turn of electricity, as the Kejriwal Government seemed to be least concerned about the welfare of the people of Delhi, who elected him to power with absolute majority after believing in the false election promises the AAP made to them, though he has been breaking all those promises with impunity. Maken said the AAP Government has not fulfilled any of its promises as women’s safety has taken a big hit, free Wi-Fi has remained a pipe dream, the number of DTC buses has fallen to 3,951 buses till June 17, 2017 to disturb the the public transport system and the increase in fares of the Delhi metro has put additional burden on the commuters.