Mysore/Mysuru: Water meter has been made mandatory to all houses following a decision taken by Urban Development Minister Byrathi Basavaraj in July this year during his visit to Mysuru and now the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has moved a step further by deciding that those houses that do not have water meter will be penalised from April 2022.

Hefty fines will be levied on those households who do not have meters. This decision was taken at the MCC Council meeting held at Nalwadi Krishnaraja Hall of the MCC last evening under the Chairmanship of Mayor Sunanda Palanethra. Deputy Mayor Anwar Baig was present. The meeting that began in the morning stretched till the evening with many unimportant discussions in the first session.

The Corporators brought the issue of water meters and said that many residents do not have the metering system but still are enjoying uninterrupted supply of water from the Vani Vilas Water Works (VVWW).

In July this year, Minister Byrathi Basavaraj directed officials to install water meters to every house to prevent pilferage and also launch special drives to regularise illegal connections. Officers and Corporators noted  that every day 270 MLD (million litres per day) water is supplied to the city areas and other localities but money is flowing into the MCC only for the water up to 160 MLD. Over 110 MLD water has no accounts due to pilferage, leakage and also lack of meters and faulty meters.

The Council noted that while many households have not bothered to install meters, others have not repaired the defunct ones. There have been instances of residents themselves disconnecting or damaging the meters to avoid paying water bills. All these factors are causing loss to the MCC and steps must be taken to levy the dues.

Hefty penalty

As such, the Council has stipulated that from next April, households that do not have water meters would have to pay a fine. The fine will range from 50 percent of the prescribed water charge for residential purposes while commercial establishments and other connections will have to pay 200 percent of the water bill as penalty.

The Council also decided to levy UGD fee from those who are using borewell water along with the water supplied by VVWW on the lines of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

Separate fee structure will be devised for all hotels and restaurants, lodges, bars and pubs, shopping malls, hostels, multiplexes and kalyana mantapas based on their area and the number of people congregated. The fees will be levied from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 25,000 per month based on various slabs.

Rain woes discussed

The issue of heavy rains flooding houses, shops and housing complexes in many low-lying areas and areas alongside clogged storm water drains was raised in the Council where Corporators cutting across party lines urged the MCC to act and minimise the woes of the public. Discussing the issue for over four hours, Corporators alleged that officers were sitting inside their plush chambers without entering the field while the people were put to a lot of inconvenience. People and animals are being swept away while hundreds of residents are spending sleepless nights as water enters their houses. Most of their time is spent on clearing the muddy water while MCC officers are sitting quietly at homes and offices, they alleged and sought transfer of such officers.   MCC Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy said that relief works are underway on a day-to-day basis with each Ward being allotted eight to 10 staff. Additional machinery like earth movers and tractors have been provided, he added.