With water bills worth ₹300 crore outstanding, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to charge defaulters a one per cent penalty per month after January 31, 2024 to force them to settle their dues.
Initially, the accumulated water bills totalled ₹250 crore but the arrears rose due to instances of double billing and faulty water meter readings. Since 2001, the PMC has installed 39,000 water meters in commercial complexes, industrial establishments, schools, colleges, hotels, restaurants and the Pune and Khadki cantonments. However, these establishments failed to pay their water bills since 2001 and the civic body, too, did not take any punitive action against them.
With most establishments not paying their water bills since 2001, the outstanding amount is around ₹650 crore, according to water supply department officials. After the state decided to include the 23 fringe villages in the PMC limit in 2021, it was difficult to recover dues from the Gram Panchayat as it became part of the PMC. Hence, the total outstanding is now estimated to be ₹300 crore, which the PMC can recover from industries, commercial establishments, hotels and restaurants. To accelerate the process of recovery, the administration has decided to charge defaulters a one per cent penalty per month after January 31, 2024. The disciplinary measure is expected to prompt citizens to clear their dues and contribute towards reducing the overall outstanding.
Nandkishore Jagtap, head of the water supply department, said, “The grace period of 60 days has been granted for citizens to settle their arrears, with the deadline set for January 31, 2024. Failure to comply with the payment deadline will result in the initiation of disciplinary action starting April 1, 2024. We will impose a one per cent penalty per month on unpaid amounts. The unpaid amount of water bills is around ₹300 crore.” Jagtap clarified that the water connections are old and that they have now replaced the old water meters with new water meters under the 24×7 equitable water supply scheme.
The PMC has urged customers to collect their water bills from the water supply department offices (Swargate, SNDT, Chaturshringi). The civic body has stressed the importance of settling dues before March 31, 2024 to avoid additional penalty/legal action. Meanwhile, complaints regarding water bills can be registered on the tollfree number: 1800 1030 222.
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