Amritsar MC hopes higher revenue as OTS scheme gets govt’s nod

Charanjit Singh Teja

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 17

As the Punjab Cabinet approved One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for regularisation of unauthorised water supply and sewerage connections and recovery of arrears, the Municipal Corporation, Amritsar, (MCA) authorities are also expecting collection of good revenue and regularisation of thousands of illegal connections.

Mahesh Khanna, chairman of sub-committee, water supply and sewerage, said they don’t have accurate data of the illegal connections as no such survey has been conducted in the past. “The one time settlement offer of the government is a golden chance for the residents to regularise their water and sewerage connections. The residents should take advantage of the offer,” said Khanna.

Of 1.92L connections, just 42,000 pay bills

n At present, the Municipal Corporation is sending water and sewerage bills to around 42,000 connection holders out of the total 1.92 lakh consumers registered with the MC. A large number of connection holders are registered with the MC but the government has waived off the water sewer bills. Around 70,000 consumers are using the services without any consent and without fulfilling the legal provisions which are required for using the services.

According to information, there are 2.65 lakh households in the city but only 1.92 lakh water and sewerage connections are registered with the MC. The sources in water and sewerage supply wing of MC claimed that after installation of new water supply lines under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) during past some years, the number of illegal connection has been increased up to 70,000.

The residents connect their taps with water supply lines on their own without consent or approval of the civic body. Around 50,000 connections have been illegally connected with the MC’s water and sewer lines during the past some years.

At present, the MC is sending water and sewerage bills to around 42,000 connection holders out of the total 1.92 lakh consumers registered with MC. A large number of connection holders are registered with MC but the government has waived off the water sewer bills. Around 70,000 consumers are using the services without any consent and without fulfilling the legal provisions which are required for using the services.

“The regularisation of water sewerage connections will not only increase the revenue of MC but also help for policy planning. Now, tubewells often get defunct or fail to fulfill the requirement of the public as they were installed to meet the requirement of number of registered connections. The illegal connections overburdened the tubewells. Before implementation of the canal based surface water project, all the connections should regularise, otherwise the project would not meet the expectations of public”, said a MC official.