Kullu villagers can now pay water bill online

Kullu, February 14

Water bills of rural areas under the Jal Shakti, Division 1, Kullu, can now be paid online.

The development has come as a relief to consumers after the Lok Mitra Kendras stopped accepting water bills nine months ago.

Rural areas consumers can pay their bill in cash as well.

Consumers of urban areas have to wait for a while to avail the facility. Till then, they have to pay their bills at the single-window counter at the office of the Executive Engineer near Dhalpur.

Rohit Gupta, SDO, Kullu Jal Shakti, said consumers could visit the website of the Jal Shakti Department to avail the facility of paying water bills digitally. Billing of urban areas has been outsourced.

Gupta said some updates would have to be done in the software to provide the facility of online payment to urban consumers.

He added: “Bills for rural areas are fixed, while the bills in urban areas were based on meter reading. Meters have been installed in about 90 per cent connections in urban areas. The facility of digital payment will soon be extended to urban consumers as well.”

The residents of Kullu said the bills were accepted at the counter only till 1.30 pm on working days and demanded to extend the time till 4 pm.

“Additional manpower should be engaged for collecting bills manually, so that consumers have the facility to pay the bills as per their convenience,” they added.

Many residents said their water bills had increased by over 300 per cent after meters were installed.

Sunil, a resident, said water supply here was gravity driven and did not require electric pumps. “The government should not charge such a hefty amount for providing basic needs to masses. My monthly bill has increased by over three times after the installation of the meter,” he added.