HYDERABAD: About 21,000 families within the twin cities are unable to avail the 20-kilolitre free drinking water scheme announced by the state government in December last year.
According to sources in the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB), the board has since January 2018 received 2.75 lakh applications for water connections. Of them, 43,000 applications have been rejected, 2.09 lakh connections given but 21,000 applications have remained pending.
Of the pending applications, 3,201 pertain to domestic connections, 10,405 multi-storeyed buildings and 2,749 commercial.
Just this year, the water board received about 44,000 applications of which 6,000 have been rejected, 30,000 connections given and 7,500 applications are under process.
The board has Green Brigade contractors for issuing physical connections. This system has become a boon for contractors and a bane for consumers who want to either regularise their connections or get new connections. Sources allege that a water connection will be given immediately if the consumer bribes the contractor.
To avail free 20-KL drinking water, water board has made it mandatory that consumers should have a working meter for their connections amd link their Aadhaar numbers to the Consumer Account Number (CAN) of HMWS&SB. However, over 4 lakh consumers are yet to fix meters despite availing of the scheme.
A senior HMWS&SB official said the board has been facing challenges both at the field level and unaccountability of consumers. While field staff has been delaying issue of physical connections to eligible consumers, consumers too are not ready to fix water meters even after availing the free drinking water scheme. The official said the water board would soon prepare a mechanism to check irregularities on both these fronts.
He informed that the board has asked officials to pay special attention to commercial connections across the city and take strict action against those who have not paid their dues. By October-end, officials have to collect 100 per cent arrears from those having pipe size of 40 mm or more, as well as 50 per cent arrears from the rest of commercial connections. Otherwise, such connections must be immediately cut for non-payment of bills.
