Through the Chennai Water Board, 100 crore liters of drinking water is distributed daily through pipes and trucks in 15 zones.
Although drinking water from lakes is one side, a project to make sea water potable is also being implemented to overcome the shortage. Through these, drinking water for daily needs is met.
revenue
In Chennai, there are 9.91 lakh drinking water and sewage connections. Through this, an annual revenue of Rs 892 crore is generated in taxes and fees.
The charges are collected from consumers for the first half-year from April to September and for the second half-year from October to March.
Households are charged 7 percent of the annual property value as drinking water and waste water tax and 80 rupees per month as fees. For commercial buildings, fees vary.
In total, 13.96 lakh people pay tax and 9.13 lakh people pay fees. In the extension areas where drinking water connection is not provided, they pay only tax.
Intimidation
In this way, 892 crore rupees should be collected in the financial year 2022-23 and 368 crore rupees due till 2021-22, and 1,260 crore rupees should be collected. But till March 20, 2023, only Rs 986 crore has been collected. The remaining Rs 274 crore is outstanding.
Officials of the Water Board said:
For many years, some councilors and party members threatened the officials who were going to take disconnection action in the buildings where dues were deposited.
Due to this, collection of dues was affected.
‘Notice’
18,701 of the owners who have been in arrears for several years have been served with disconnection ‘notices’ through the revenue department. 16 thousand 450 of those who received the notice paid the due immediately.
Of the rest, 743 people were disconnected from drinking water and 1,508 from sewage. Subsequently, they also paid the balance within a couple of days. In this way, it collected Rs 28 crore in February.
Following the crackdown, the trend of intimidation by politicians and councilors has decreased in recent times. Currently, a target of collecting Rs 150 crore in March has been set and various measures are being taken.
Thus they said.
disturbance
Officials of the Drinking Water Board said,
We are taking action against those who have been in arrears for several years through the Revenue Department of the Water Board. Some have not paid taxes for more than 10, 15 years. When they go to take action against tax defaulters, some councilors and party members obstruct.
In spite of that, we have issued severance ‘notices’ and collected Rs 28 crores in a single month. Realizing the service provided by the drinking water board, the public should voluntarily pay taxes and fees.
Thus they said.
28 crore collection
Officials of the Drinking Water Board said,
We are taking action against those who have been in arrears for several years through the Revenue Department of the Water Board. Some have not paid taxes for more than 10, 15 years. When they go to take action against tax defaulters, some councilors and party members obstruct. In spite of that, we have issued severance ‘notices’ and collected Rs 28 crores in a single month. Realizing the service provided by the drinking water board, the public should voluntarily pay taxes and fees. Thus they said.
– Water Board Officers