RTI reveals 11,000 illegal water connections in north Nagpur
5 Mar, 2013The reply to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has shown that there are more than 11,000 illegal water connections in the Ashi Nagar zone of north Nagpur.
The reply, provided by the deputy engineer water works department (WWD) of Ashi Nagar zone, states that out of total water connections in the zone, more than 11,000 connections are illegal while the number of legal connections is 15,917. The data provided in the reply also shows that 5,157 people having legal water connection have defaulted on regular water bills. Though the Nagpur Municipal Corporation's water works department (WWD) has launched a campaign to recover dues from water tax defaulters, the connections of only 186 consumers have been snapped.
The officiating executive engineer (WWD) has admitted that the number of illegal connection in the zone has increased manifold due to department’s negligence and has said that the department is now motivating people to get their illegal connections converted into legal ones. Is the condition any different in other Indian cities?