Why can’t MCC recover dues from defaulters before seeking hike in water tariff?

Sir, 

It is with deep pain and concern that we, the honest tax paying Mysureans, do read in the columns of two successive issues of Star of Mysore (Nov. 28 and 29) about MCC’s helplessness in recovering the tariff dues of Rs. 202.00 crores from the defaulters and then about the proposed hike of 50%. This leads me to question MCC:

a. Why is MCC unable to disconnect water supply to the defaulting users and institutions? Why were they waiting so long to send the said notices and to initiate legal action, instead of waking up now?

b. Against an annual operational and maintenance cost of Rs.120.00 crore, it is said that collection is Rs.55.00 crore which doesn’t reportedly even take care of MCC’s electricity bill of Rs.75 crore besides a deficit of Rs.70 crore.

Comparing ‘a’ and ‘b’ above, any layman can infer that it is the amount in due by water bill defaulters which is the main cause of MCC’s deficit.

Who is accountable for non-recovery of dues?

Who is accountable for the 50,000 and odd illegal connections running without meters?

Finally, why should honest bill paying Mysureans suffer the burden of the proposed 50 percent hike?

– C.K. Rangachari, Vivekanandanagar, 30.11.2020

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This post was published on December 3, 2020 5:55 pm