The Deccan Chronicle 29.11.2010
Meter readers will clean sewers: Board threatNov. 28: With its monthly revenue towards water bill collections not even crossing 60 per cent in several areas of the city, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has issued an ultimatum to non-performing meter readers that they will be demoted as sewerage workers if collections do not improve in the next two months.
The Board has also announced incentives for meter readers who crossed 60 per cent bill collections in their respective areas. At present, the Board is getting Rs 30 crore per month towards collections which is less than 60 per cent.
If cent per cent billing is achieved and 100 per cent collections are done, the Board will get over Rs 50 crore every month. However, a large number of consumers in the city are not getting monthly bills.
There have also been complaints from some consumers who say they have received accumulated bills of 10 months at one shot. A review of the track record of the 40 non-performing meter readers revealed that they were appointed on compassionate grounds after the death of their parent. Some of them were also appointed as drainage workers and later promoted as meter readers.
When contacted, Water Board executive director, Mr Ashok Reddy, confirmedthat an ultimatum had been given to the meter readers to improve performance by achieving over 60 per cent collection or get demoted as sewerage workers.
Likewise, those achieving collections between 61 and 70 per cent will be given an incentive of Rs 2,000 per month. For collections between 71 and 80 per cent the incentive is Rs 3,000, for 81 to 90 per cent the incentive is Rs 4,000 per month and for 91 per cent to 100 per cent, the reward is Rs 5,000 per month.
