In an unprecedented move, 800 employees of the Delhi Jal Board were transferred on Monday as part of a drive launched to “streamline” its services and functioning. The affected employees were posted at the water emergency and filling points for over three years.
The Board, in a statement released on Monday evening, maintained that the decision was in sync with its constant endeavour to shift its focus from being only an engineering-driven organisation to being a cutting-edge services provider in the area of public utility.
Those who have been posted for over three years in a particular place have been transferred.
“According to transfer rules, an employee can be shifted out after serving on a posting for three years. However, it is believed that the guideline was not being followed for years. Besides, water emergency and filling points are vital public-interface sections creating a scope for malpractices,” said an official.
Also, it is learnt that soon after the new State Government assumed power, a task force on water tankers was constituted by the DJB last week itself to study the supply and distribution constraints.
Following a survey, the task force has reportedly submitted its ground-report on the basis of which the DJB — which presently has about 19,000 employees — may undertake more such corrective steps.
The decision comes nearly a week after the Aam Aadmi Party-led State Government announced a provision for free supply of 666 litres to every household per day. The AAP had during its election campaign claimed that a better management of the DJB was an answer to the city’s water woes.
