The Indian Express 04.06.2013
MC complains to police against 18 for illegal water connections
In a first-of-its-kind move, the Municipal Corporation has decided to get criminal cases registered against the residents who took water connections illegally after the supply was disconnected due to non-payment of pending bills.
A total of 18 consumers have been identified across the city who had illegally taken water connections, and complaints were given by MC officials to the respective police stations for registration of FIRs on Monday.
Superintending Engineer (Public Health) R C Diwan said that the MC would be strict with those were defaulting on payment of bills and further taking connections illegally. "The Municipal Commissioner has ordered that FIRs be registered against the defaulting consumers. Our teams have been disconnecting between 30 and 40 water meters every day," he said. "However, in case they take illegal connections, complaints would be given to the police. Already 18 such consumers have been identified."
Since the onset of summers, the civic body had started a drive for disconnecting water supply of the residents who have not paid their bills. Till the water bills are cleared, the supply is not resumed. On Sunday, a special drive was held to check the status of the connections that had been disconnected, but the bills had still not been cleared. It was found that at 18 places, the residents were illegally drawing water from the main supply line.
The MC teams took pictures of the violations. Apart from disconnecting the illegal connections, it has been decided that the MC would be giving complaints to the police for registration of criminal cases against the defaulters. Instructions for the same have been issued to the respective Sub-divisional Engineers who would be doing the needful. It has been decided that a fine of Rs 25,000 would be levied on the consumers apart from the defaulting amount.
A total of 18 consumers have been identified across the city who had illegally taken water connections, and complaints were given by MC officials to the respective police stations for registration of FIRs on Monday.
Superintending Engineer (Public Health) R C Diwan said that the MC would be strict with those were defaulting on payment of bills and further taking connections illegally. "The Municipal Commissioner has ordered that FIRs be registered against the defaulting consumers. Our teams have been disconnecting between 30 and 40 water meters every day," he said. "However, in case they take illegal connections, complaints would be given to the police. Already 18 such consumers have been identified."
Since the onset of summers, the civic body had started a drive for disconnecting water supply of the residents who have not paid their bills. Till the water bills are cleared, the supply is not resumed. On Sunday, a special drive was held to check the status of the connections that had been disconnected, but the bills had still not been cleared. It was found that at 18 places, the residents were illegally drawing water from the main supply line.
The MC teams took pictures of the violations. Apart from disconnecting the illegal connections, it has been decided that the MC would be giving complaints to the police for registration of criminal cases against the defaulters. Instructions for the same have been issued to the respective Sub-divisional Engineers who would be doing the needful. It has been decided that a fine of Rs 25,000 would be levied on the consumers apart from the defaulting amount.
