In Faridabad, 75% sewerage, water connections ‘unauthorised’

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, June 20

With around 75 per cent of the water and sewage connections in the city being “unauthorised”, Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF) has launched a drive to regularise such connections.

“The civic body stands to lose revenue of several crores each year as around 4.85 lakh out of the total 5.65 lakh household and commercial units continue to enjoy water and sewerage facility without paying any charges,” claim sources in the MCF.

As a total of 5.65 lakh units were detected during a property tax survey, a senior MCF official said that only 1.65 lakh units had been found having an authorised connection. “Though a detailed survey is yet to be done, the menace of illegal connections could cause financial loss to the tune of Rs 36 crore a year,” said an official on condition of anonymity.

Admitting revenue loss in view of illegal connections, he said that the problem of unauthorised connections has failed to be curbed despite campaigns launched from time to time. Sources claim that the number of units requiring regular water and sewerage connection could be more than 8 lakh in view of addition of the units after permission of conversion of independent houses in sectors into floors and incorporation of 24 villages into the civic limits last year.

Against a demand of about 390 MLD daily, the MCF has been able to supply around 300 MLD in the city having a population of 28 lakh at present, it is claimed. The present income from water and sewer charges is around Rs 12 crore per year, it is learnt.

The MCF got a shock after the Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA) authorised to supply water from the Ranneywells project handed over a bill of Rs 43 crore to it. While the MCF charges Rs 1 per kilolitre from consumers, it has received the bill at a rate of Rs 10 per kilolitre, claim the officials.

Yashpal Yadav Commissioner, MCF, said that a regularisation drive has been launched. “Besides holding camps for the purpose, he said, tough measures including lodging of FIR against the offenders would be resorted to. More than 200 connections have been regularised and a penalty of over 10.5 lakh has been imposed in the past 10 days, it is added.

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