The earlier deadline was September 30 and prior to that September 15.

Sources in the Corporation said that the civic body was forced to extend the deadline owing to poor response from the residents.

The
Corporation had sometime ago asked residents in all the 100 wards to
pay up the difference between their current deposit and Rs. 5,000 to
make uniform the deposit at Rs. 5,000. But it had said it was applicable
only to those residents who had availed of water connection prior to
2013.

It said those residents in the 60 wards that constituted the
old city area had to pay around Rs. 4,000, those residents in wards
that earlier fell under Vilankurichi Panchayat to pay an equal sum,
those residents in wards that fell under the then Kalapatti Town
Panchayat to pay Rs. 2,000, those residing in wards that fell under the
then Veerakeralam Town Panchayat to also pay Rs. 2,000, those residing
in wards that fell under the earlier Thudiyalur, Vellakinaru,
Saravanampatty and Chinnavedampatty Town Panchayats to also pay Rs.
2,000, and others to pay the difference.

For commercial and
industrial connection, the Corporation had similar demands, but with
amount varying from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 7,000.

The Corporation had
expected to generate over Rs. 50 crore from the exercise. But as on
date, the collection was nearly Rs. 14 crore.

Corporation sources
said now that the civic body had revised the deadline more than once, it
would resort to other methods to urge the residents to pay the revised
deposit charges. The methods would include reminders by way of public
announcements and if necessary, coercive action like disconnecting water
supply. They reasoned that the civic body was able to improve its water
supply to added areas, almost on a par with the old city areas and that
involved higher operation and maintenance charges. The residents
therefore would have to pay for the water the Corporation supplied.

Among
the five zones, the South Zone had the lowest collection of a little
over Rs. 1 crore. The maximum collection was from the Central Zone at
Rs. 3.82 crore followed by East Zone at Rs. 3.47 crore.