Nagpur Municipal Corporation to privatize water dept

 

 Poor performance by water works department (WWD) apparently pushed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to privatize the department amidst opposition from all corners.

The department's bad performance can be gauged from the very fact that the officials have failed to recover outstanding dues of over Rs 5.5 lakh from a domestic consumer in Gokulpeth area besides Rs 4, 37,518 dues from a Dharampeth resident. Though the department had conducted a drive to disconnect connections of consumers who failed to pay the taxes, such hefty dues expose the lackadaisical approach of the department officials.

"Had the department officials showed interest in its recovery drive, the decision to privatize the department could have been averted," said former NCP corporator Vedprakash Arya.

According to available information, NMC is yet to recover water bills amounting to crores of rupees from government, semi government offices, several luxury hotels and private parties till last financial year.

The authorities failed to initiate any strict against bigger parties to recover the dues. "They only woke up when the dues increased manifold," Arya pointed out.

The department recently disconnected water connections of 21 such defaulters after they failed to pay dues despite repeated warnings. Of these, the dues two consumers had crossed lakhs, while that of 15 consumers was more than Rs 10,000 each. A resident from Takshashila Apartment has dues to the tune of Rs 63,551, while a restaurant owner in Anant Nagar owes Rs 78,577 to the department.

Of the 21, maximum numbers of defaulters were from Mangalwari zone at 11 followed by Dharampeth with eight and two from Hanuman Nagar zone.