MC intensifies drive against illegal water, sewer connections

The Amritsar Municipal Corporation has intensified its campaign against illegal water and sewer connections and recovery of pending dues. As part of the drive, notices are being issued to defaulters, while special camps are being set up across different constituencies to facilitate residents in regularising their connections and clearing outstanding property tax and water and sewerage bills. Additional Commissioner Surinder Singh stated that 1,310 residential and 373 commercial establishments had been issued notices. Out of these, nearly 600 connections have already been regularised. However, despite repeated warnings, many defaulters have failed to approach the civic body. As a result, the MC has now started disconnecting such connections. In the past few days, five connections in each zone have been cut, and the action continued on Thursday as well.

Yesterday, disconnection drives were carried out at Rana Fruit Ice Cream near Lohgarh Gate in the Central zone, at a residential unit in Dashmesh Nagar (South zone), in Mustafabad (North zone), on Batala Road (East zone), and at Chheharta (West zone).Singh revealed that the Water and Sewerage Department currently has 58,000 registered residential connections, in addition to nearly 1.47 lakh connections falling under the exemption category. However, due to rapid urbanisation, an estimated one lakh illegal connections are believed to be operational in the city. If these connections are regularised, the civic body’s revenue is expected to see a significant boost.

The department is also struggling to recover pending dues amounting to Rs 29 crore. To address this, notices are being issued and staff members are visiting households to raise awareness.