MC cracks the whip on illegal sewer, water connections in city

The Municipal Corporation (MC) has launched a major crackdown on illegal water and sewer connections across the city. Over the past three months, the civic body has issued over 1,750 notices to defaulters and unauthorised connection holders. Officials found negligent in enforcement, including junior engineers (JEs) and field staff, are also being asked to explain their inaction.

To regularise such connections, the MC has started organising camps in various colonies. The administration has now ordered focused action against large consumers with outstanding dues exceeding Rs 50,000. Officials revealed that several commercial connections have malfunctioning meters, leading to nominal lump-sum bills of around Rs 200 being charged, causing significant revenue loss to the Municipal Corporation.

Additional MC Commissioner Surinder Singh said strict measures are being taken to curb illegal connections and recover pending dues. "Connections that are not regularised will be disconnected. At the same time, officials and staff showing negligence in enforcement are being held accountable," he said.

The Municipal Corporation is now focusing on large defaulters in the North and Central constituencies. Consumers with outstanding bills of over Rs 50,000 will face disconnection, while camps will continue in colonies to encourage regularisation of illegal connections. Officials estimate that more than one lakh (100,000) illegal water and sewer connections currently exist within the municipal limits. Many of these were connected privately by residents to pipelines laid under various government projects, bypassing official approval. The Municipal Corporation has long struggled to identify and regulate such connections.

In a new directive, the Additional MC Commissioner has instructed each JE to disconnect at least five illegal connections every week, while each SDO has been tasked with inspecting 10 commercial connections weekly. The Municipal Corporationofficials said that regularisation and recovery of pending bills will help improve the revenue base, enabling better maintenance and expansion of the water and sewerage infrastructure.