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Chandigarh MC to penalise residents for not getting tertiary treated water connections
As per the Chandigarh water supply bylaws, 2015, the use of TT water is compulsory in all houses/institutions having an area of one kanal and above. The penalty will be imposed on 4,479 houses and 264 institutions in the city.
In a major decision, the house of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) on Tuesday decided to impose penalty equal to 7.5% of their total water bill, on city residents living in houses/institutions having an area of one kanal and above, for not taking tertiary treated (TT) water connection despite repeated notices.
As per the Chandigarh water supply bylaws, 2015, the use of TT water is compulsory in all houses/institutions having an area of one kanal and above. The bylaws made TT water connections compulsory for consumers within three months from the date of issuance of notification, but the civic body has found that only 2,906 of the total 7,385 one kanal houses in Chandigarh have complied with the bylaws. Similarly, out of the total 414 institutions, only 150 have the connections.
The penalty will be imposed on 4479 houses and 264 institutions in the city. The house also decided to sell the TT water for commercial use at ₹7 per kilolitre on the lines of Delhi Jal Board. At present, the MC charges ₹2.50 per kilolitre for commercial TT water connection. However, no change in rates has been made for residential houses or institutions, who have already taken the TT water, and the flat rate stands same at ₹50 per kanal area per month.
During the general House meeting, the agenda was tabled, saying, “The MC is now proposing to sell the TT water at ₹7 per kilolitre on the lines of Delhi Jal Board. At present, the MC charges ₹2.50 per kilolitre for TT water. To ensure compliance, the MC is proposing to levy a penalty equal to 7.5% of the total water bill on one kanal house owners who have not taken TT water connections despite availability. The MC is also proposing to make TT water available for other purposes of fulfilling norms, such as construction purposes, chilling plants, AC cooling units after softening and other industrial purposes for washing, etc.”
The agenda was approved after city councillors across party lines raised multiple complaints about TT water’s availability and quality.
BJP councillor Mahesh Inder Singh Sidhu, representing city’s sectors from 1 to 10 having most of the entire city’s one kanal and above houses, said, “Though the quality of TT water has improved, residents still complain about smelly water and erratic supply. The MC does not act for months to repair the pipes of TT water in case of breakage and if penalty and rates have been increased, the MC must ensure proper supply.”
BJP councillor Harpreet Kaur Babla said, “TT water supply is very erratic in summers, especially in May and June, when plants require a good amount of water. The MC must ensure timely supply.”
More services set to get dearer now
With its fiscal crisis worsening, the Chandigarh MC revised the rates for various services to boost its revenue, impacting services such as the issuance of birth and death certificates, charges for using mobile toilet vans for private events, rent for telecom infrastructure, monthly rent of Verka milk booths among others.
The registrar birth and death department of the Chandigarh MC covers 29 private hospitals and nursing homes, and registration units are working on the online software by the Centre. MC approved revision of the fee/charges related to issuance of certificates.
The MC will now rent out mobile toilet vans for private events in the city. For a private event up to 5 km, the MC will charge ₹6,500, which will include ₹2,000 as refundable security and the rent will increase to ₹7,000 if event is scheduled beyond 5 km.
Scuffle breaks out in MC House
Tensions ran high during the Chandigarh MC’s general House meeting on Tuesday as nominated councillor Anil Masih, involved in the vote rigging case in the controversial mayoral election this year, and who got SC rap for the same, stormed into the well of the House and accused senior political leaders of Congress and AAP of corruption.
Masih said, “Rahul Gandhi and Sanjay Singh are involved in corruption and are presently out on bail. If they can come out and speak, why can’t I speak when the case against me is still pending for a decision in the Supreme Court.”
The remarks triggered a heated response from the INDIA bloc councillors, who retaliated by highlighting Masih’s vote rigging incident earlier this year. Congress councillor Gurpreet Singh Gabi displayed posters depicting Masih’s vote-tampering scandal, prompting an uproar in the House.
Senior deputy mayor and BJP councillor Kuljeet Singh Sandhu, along with leader of Opposition Kanwarjeet Singh Rana, attempted to seize the posters from Gabi, leading to a physical scuffle between members of the House. The chaotic scenes forced a brief adjournment of the House proceedings.
