The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Tuesday approved a combined hike on water and sewer tariff for consumers exceeding their monthly quota of 20,000 litres. A Jal Board official told PTI that the body approved a 20 per cent combined hike on the current charges.

The move will effectively see an increase of Rs 28 per month for consumers crossing the monthly quota, DJB vice chairman Dinesh Mohaniya, who is the AAP MLA from Sangam Vihar, said.

“No change in water tariff in Delhi for households using up to 20,000 litres per month for third consecutive year. Above 20,000 litres, a 20 per cent combined hike on water and sewer charges approved in the Delhi Jal Board meeting,” Delhi government spokesperson Nagendar Sharma tweeted.

The Aam Aadmi Party government, which promised free water supply to families, had set a cap of 20,000 litres per month for every household, beyond which they would be charged according to their consumption.

Price hiked after using more then threshold limit decided by Delhi Govt.

The DJB, in its official statement, had said that the decision was taken in order to reduce the financial burden on the water body.

“The hike has been approved in order to keep the financial health of the DJB intact,” DJB had said.

In 2016, the government decided against following the auto mechanism and put another hike on hold. The current hike comes three months after Kejriwal took over the ministerial portfolio of water after the removal of Kapil Mishra.