Cautioning against privatisation of water distribution system in the city, BJP today slammed Delhi Government for handing over meter reading and maintenance works to a private company.

Senior BJP leader V K Malhotra said his party will vehemently resist any move to privatise Delhi Jal Board on the lines of privatisation of power distribution system.

Initiating reforms in water billing and installation of meters, Delhi government has decided to involve IT major Tata Consultancy Services in the two key areas.

"Privatisation of DJB has been on the agenda of the Chief Minister for a long time. It is not taking place because of strong opposition from BJP. But now she has resolved to go ahead. We will resist it tooth and nail," Malhotra said.

He claimed that handing over of meter reading to TCS was the first step in government's efforts to privatise the entire water distribution system.

Malhotra said the government should have placed the proposal in assembly before taking a decision on it.

The DJB board, chaired by Dikshit yesterday, approved a Rs 53-crore project to modernise the billing and metre reading system.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Vijendra Gupta claimed the cost of the project was fixed at Rs 30 crore in February this year which has now been increased to Rs 53 crore.

"Why has the government increased the cost. Who will benefit from it? The government must answer these questions," he said.