4,200 notices issued to water, sewerage bill defaulters

The Amritsar Municipal Corporation has recovered Rs 2.30 crore from water and sewerage regulation defaulters in just four months, from April to July 14. The MC recovered Rs 1.15 crore more as compared to the same period in 2024-25, reflecting the intensified recovery drive launched by the MC. Notices have been issued to 4,200 defaulters across the five city zones with the civic body making serious efforts to meet its recovery targets.

According to officials, the North zone has reported the highest number of defaulters with 1,200 consumers receiving notices. The lowest number of defaulters has been recorded in the Central zone, where 600 notices were issued. The North zone also recorded the highest recovery amount of Rs 3.96 lakh so far. The municipal corporation has set an ambitious target of Rs 16 crore for water and sewerage charges collection for the financial year 2025-26.

To boost collections, special camps were organized from June 12 to July 6, through which payments were collected from 294 defaulters. However, despite the efforts, the recovery process has slowed down, mainly due to the ongoing monsoon rains disrupting field activities and public participation in the camps. Notices continue to be dispatched on the directions of MC Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, but collections have not reached the expected pace.

One of the main reasons behind the challenge in identifying and recovering dues from defaulters is the lack of accurate data on commercial, residential and industrial buildings. To overcome this, a door-to-door verification campaign has been initiated. Officials are visiting properties to verify details and ensure accurate billing records. Consumers who fail to clear their dues are being warned that their water and sewerage connections may be disconnected, though no such disconnections have been carried out so far.

Month-wise, collections have shown varied trends. In April, the MC collected Rs 62.77 lakh, significantly higher than Rs 31 lakh collected during the same month last year. May saw Rs 56.39 lakh in recoveries compared to Rs 13.6 lakh previously. June marked the highest recovery with Rs 93.79 lakh, while collections in July dropped sharply to Rs 17.09 lakh due to heavy rains hampering the campaign. Overall, the MC needs to recover Rs 13.70 crore more in the next eight months to meet its annual target.