The Hindu 03.05.2013
‘Red notices’ help swell Water Board coffers
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage
Board (HMWSSB) has netted the highest revenue of Rs. 53.7 crore in March
this year with 4.03 lakh consumers paying bills. The previous highest
collection of Rs. 53.5 crore was in February with 3.81 lakh consumers
paying bills. Buoyed by the good showing, the Board has targeted to
achieve 4.5 lakh consumers.
The increased revenue is
the result of the ‘red notices’ served by the Board under the Revenue
Recovery Act to 354 defaulters who owed Rs. 41 lakh. Responding to the
notices, 156 consumers paid up Rs. 14 lakh. The remaining cases would be
referred to the district Collectors of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy for
recovery of dues under the RRA.
Water Board Managing
Director J. Syamala Rao, told presspersons here on Thursday that under
the Act movable and immovable properties could be attached and disposed
of to recover the dues. As part of the drive against illegal
connections, the ASCI had done a survey of 20,000 connections in the
peripheral municipalities and detected 739 illegal connections. This
exercise would be carried out in the core city also, Mr. Rao said.
Precarious position
Mr.
Rao admitted to precarious water position with Osmansagar and
Himayatsagar reservoirs going dry by May 20. He, however, said there was
no need to panic since the Board would be able to maintain 300 mgd
supply with Krishna and Singur water till the monsoon arrived.
Tanker
supply had been streamlined and 80 per cent of the bookings made at the
Metro Customer Care centres were being delivered within 24 hours. Water
shortage on the city outskirts was due to absence of network.
The Board had prepared a DPR for network improvement in the peripheral areas of GHMC.
Godavari project
Referring
to the Godavari project, Mr. Rao said the file concerning the forest
clearance for construction of the master balancing reservoir at Ghanpur
in Ranga Reddy district was now with the Union Forest Minister. The
project would be completed by March next.
HMWSSB nets highest revenue of Rs. 53.7 crore in March this year.
