Urban consumers face five-month delay in water bills

In a surprising development, water bills have not been distributed to urban consumers across the state for the past five months. This delay is causing growing concerns among residents and government officials alike, as the state faces a significant revenue loss. Consumers are worried about how they will manage to pay a lump sum amount covering five to six months of the accumulated dues.

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OP Kapoor, president of the Citizens Council Mandi, criticised the government’s inaction, stating that despite public concerns, officials have not taken the issue seriously. A complaint was sent to the Chief Engineer of the department on January 3, highlighting the delay in issuing bills, but no response or action has followed.

“As the issue remained unresolved, we escalated it further by reaching out to the CM and Deputy CM via email on February 17 and 19. However, despite these efforts, there has been no visible action,” Kapoor stated.

Reports indicate that the delay is due to the unavailability of a functional website and app for bill processing. While the government cites the state’s weak financial condition, the failure to collect water bills is further worsening the situation. The government is losing potential interest earnings on the pending revenue, adding to the state’s financial troubles.

In light of these challenges, the Citizens Council is urging the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to intervene and direct the concerned department to issue pending water bills immediately. Additionally, they are advocating for an installment-based payment system, allowing consumers to clear their dues in six parts. This would provide much-needed relief to citizens struggling with the financial burden of accumulated bills.

With public frustration growing, urgent action is required to resolve the issue and prevent further economic strain on both consumers and the state.