MC approves plan to recover ₹41 crore from unpaid water bills

The municipal corporation (MC) gave the go-ahead to a scheme to recover around ₹41 crore from unpaid water bills at Monday’s house meeting. However, a number of steps recommended by the revenue generation committee to improve the civic body’s financial health could not be discussed.

This was the first time that the MC offered a one-time settlement scheme to water bill defaulters despite absence of such a provision in the Chandigarh Water Supply Bye Laws. That was the reason why the general house approval was required after it was suggested by the committee.

With this, the MC will issue a notification and three months will be given to around 20,000 defaulters to pay the arrears at discounted rates.

The scheme stipulated one-time payment of arrears with a 10% rebate. Those paying in two instalments will get a 7% discount and others paying in three lots will get 5% off.

About ₹41.60 crore remains unpaid for up to June 30, 2020, with defaulters including domestic, industrial, and commercial users and government departments. Of this, ₹37.44 crore was the principal amount and ₹4.16 crore the surcharge amount.

A surcharge of 10% will be imposed on those not paying their bills by the due date.

Other approvals

Though the committee made around 20 suggestions, the house was able to discuss just a few, including generation of funds from Mahila Bhawan in Sector 38, and revised license fee for permissions to grow hedges.

A proposal to increase charges from ₹25 per 100 sq ft a year to ₹250 for permissions to grow hedges was rejected.

The hedges can be grown adjacent to houses on V5 and V6 roads of MC.

When BJP city chief and councillor Arun Sood objected to the provision of conviction against violators, the MC decided that a request would be made to the UT administration to drop the conviction clause.

Imposition of fines will continue.

Till the administration’s approval no conviction proceedings will be started, the MC decided.

Other plans that were approved included display of advertisement boards at the around 74 public toilets in garden/green belt/parks under MC jurisdiction, which its horticulture department maintains.

The house also gave the go ahead to the installation of bank ATMs at various tubewells, boosters and community centres. It decided that the best sites would be selected first before requisite permissions are taken from the UT administration.

SETTLEMENT SCHEME FOR DEFAULTERS

Those who haven’t paid their water bills will get three months to deposit arrears.

10% rebate if arrears are paid in one instalment

7% rebate if arrears are paid in two instalments

5% rebate if arrears are paid in three instalments