Even as the war of words has continued among political parties on the issue of alleged water shortage in the capital city, a section of contractors working for the Delhi Jal Board has said they will stop ongoing projects from November 27. DJB Vice Chairman Somnath Bharti claimed despite repeated directions from the Finance Minister, the finance department has not released funds for the last three months and he will reach out to the Lieutenant Governor seeking his intervention.

The Delhi Jal Board Contractors Welfare Association has written to the Additional Chief Engineer mentioning that the workers will stop all the ongoing works including water leakage, water contamination, maintenance of water supply, settled leakage system, maintenance of sewage system, operation of tube wells and pumping stations, providing beldars , engagements of labours, desilting of works due to non-payments. The decision to stop all ongoing works was taken after an executive committee meeting on November 23 to discuss the present situation.

The Association said the works once stopped will be taken up onlyand only on receipt of due payments by all concerned contractors and all responsibilities towards stoppage of these works on account of non-payment by the department for the already works shall lies with the department.

“It is regretted that all payments due since long february 2023are not released till date after so many requests. In view of the same, executive committee meeting was held with all the contractors on Nov 23, to discuss the present situation of financial hardship being faced by all the working contractors of the department. All detailed deliberations and finding no option it was unanimously decided to stop all ongoing works,”reads the letter.