Pune: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) suspended on Wednesday water supply For the areas served by keep camp Board (PCB) on outstanding water tax arrears of Rs.77 crore. There was no water supply from morning till late evening.
“The civil administration is continuously pursuing with the board for payment of dues. But the cantonment officials did not respond, we stopped the water supply on Wednesday as a last option,” said Anirudh Pavaskar, head of water supply department of PMC.
According to PMC, most residents of not only the board but also the PCB areas have not paid their water tax.
Pavaskar said that after Wednesday’s action, a decision regarding future water supply will be taken based on the feedback received from the PCB.
According to PMC officials, residents of PCB areas owe Rs 29 crore while the board owes Rs 48 crore. These payments are outstanding for more than four years.
“The PMC had given notices to the defaulters but they have not cleared their dues. In the past also, action has been taken like disconnecting the water connection. Even then the arrears were not paid. The issue could not be resolved through alternative dispute resolution mechanism. The expected response was not given to the PMC by the PCB in the recently held Lok Adalat,” said a senior PMC official.
PCB Cantonment Executive Officer Amit Kumar said that they are in touch with PMC officials on the issue. “We are in the process of making partial payment of the bill. Due to the poor financial position of the board, we could not make big payments in the past,” he said.
Sanjay Kawade, a worker from Ghorpadi said, “The PCB needs to check all water connections as many citizens have not paid water bills for a long time.”
Another resident Sameer Shaikh said, “The board needs to take action against illegal water connections.”
Sandesh Shinde, a cab driver from Bhimpura area, said, “It was quite unusual as we never experienced a dry tap on Wednesday. We had to buy water bottles for drinking. The authorities concerned should inform the citizens in advance whether They are planning to stop the water supply.”
“I could not wash the fruits and vegetables that I had bought to sell,” said Satish Mane, a vegetable and fruit vendor in the Taboot Street area.
“The civil administration is continuously pursuing with the board for payment of dues. But the cantonment officials did not respond, we stopped the water supply on Wednesday as a last option,” said Anirudh Pavaskar, head of water supply department of PMC.
According to PMC, most residents of not only the board but also the PCB areas have not paid their water tax.
Pavaskar said that after Wednesday’s action, a decision regarding future water supply will be taken based on the feedback received from the PCB.
According to PMC officials, residents of PCB areas owe Rs 29 crore while the board owes Rs 48 crore. These payments are outstanding for more than four years.
“The PMC had given notices to the defaulters but they have not cleared their dues. In the past also, action has been taken like disconnecting the water connection. Even then the arrears were not paid. The issue could not be resolved through alternative dispute resolution mechanism. The expected response was not given to the PMC by the PCB in the recently held Lok Adalat,” said a senior PMC official.
PCB Cantonment Executive Officer Amit Kumar said that they are in touch with PMC officials on the issue. “We are in the process of making partial payment of the bill. Due to the poor financial position of the board, we could not make big payments in the past,” he said.
Sanjay Kawade, a worker from Ghorpadi said, “The PCB needs to check all water connections as many citizens have not paid water bills for a long time.”
Another resident Sameer Shaikh said, “The board needs to take action against illegal water connections.”
Sandesh Shinde, a cab driver from Bhimpura area, said, “It was quite unusual as we never experienced a dry tap on Wednesday. We had to buy water bottles for drinking. The authorities concerned should inform the citizens in advance whether They are planning to stop the water supply.”
“I could not wash the fruits and vegetables that I had bought to sell,” said Satish Mane, a vegetable and fruit vendor in the Taboot Street area.
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