Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam accepts technical glitch in Billing Software, but failed to correct it
Shimla: Despite assurance from Education Minister and local legislature Suresh Bhardwaj, residents of Shimla MC are still getting highly inflated water bills. As per recent reports, the Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Ltd (SJPNL) has issued highly inflated water bills of amounting up to Rs. 1,00,000 for a period of five months to one year.
Residents were blaming SJPNL for failing to issue regular water bills and now it’s issuing bills with arrear. One aggrieved resident from New Shimla shared his agony, he claimed that the Nigam hadn’t issued any bill since March and now it has issued bill of Rs. 22,000 with arrears of five months.
The Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam had accepted the technical glitch behind inflated water bills, but instead of overcoming it, Nigam still issuing inflated water bills.
Education Minister had already asked SJPNL to check the problem and in a meeting with the officers of Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam, Bhardwaj had claimed of his Govt’s commitment to ensure basic amenities to the people of the State. However, all his claims seem going for a toss as still Nigam has failed to check one basic problem in its billing software and despite correcting it, Nigam still issuing the bills and for no reason, citizens are facing problem.
CPM leader and former Shimla MC mayor Sanjay Chauhan has blamed the BJP led State Govt and MC for implementing neo-liberal policies and handing over public utilities in private hands. He said that citizens are getting inflated water bills only after water supply goes into the private hand.
Former Chhota Shimla counsellor Surender Chauhan has accused Shimla MC of negligence. He said that common citizens are being harassed. The MC has installed meters which are giving wrong readings. He turned to the social media
He demanded MC Shimla and Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam to look into it and threaten to start a protest in the city if failed to do so.
Meanwhile, Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam has assured to check it. Nigam’s chief executive-cum-MD Dharmender Gill said that the inflated water bills has arisen due to the backlog and has deputed JEs to make corrections.
