Hindustan Times 21.12.2009
5-star hotels fail to pay water duesFive 5-star hotels in the city have not paid their water bills. Outstanding bills from these hotels amount to Rs 15.2 lakh.
In a response to a right to information (RTI) query filled by activist Chetan Kothari, the civic body said more than 17 upmarket hotels in the city have unpaid water dues. Among other queries, Kothari had asked for a list of three-star, four-star and five-star hotels that had not paid their water bills.
According to the civic body’s reply, as of August 9, total dues from these hotels amount led to Rs 44.4 lakh.
“We always write to these defaulters but they take their time to pay their water bills,” said a civic official requesting anonymity. “We also give them different benefits such as paying in instalments,” he added.
The cash-strapped civic body has a total of Rs 741 crore as outstanding water dues, with many government and semi-government buildings defaulting on payments.
Buildings to be checked for leakages
In a survey done by the civic body of 826 government and semi-government buildings, 101 leakages were detected.
“Our team plugged 86 leakages and we will continue the drive,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner Anil Diggikar.
The civic body is scrambling to save water as the city is facing a severe shortage due to a poor monsoon.
The BMC has imposed a 15 per cent water cut in residential areas, while a 30 per cent cut has been imposed on commercial and bulk users. Stocks in the six lakes that supply water to the city are at 7.55 lakh million litres against 9.81 lakh million litres last year.
The civic body has also identified 387 bulk consumers (establishments requiring more than 2 lakh litres of water) and have reduced supply to 280 such establishments by 30 per cent.
