Hubballi: The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) is contemplating implementing a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme to clear all pending water bills in Hubballi-Dharwad.Sources said that the HDMC is facing a big challenge in recovering the loss caused by pending water bills in twin cities as the list of pending water bills increases year by year.
Sources said the HDMC took several measures, including serving notices to defaulters who failed to pay their due water bills, but many defaulters adopted a don’t-care attitude. It also led to arguments between HDMC staff and citizens when they tried to seize the water supply for not paying bills for years. Some citizens are also blaming the authorities for increasing water tariffs and collecting water tariffs without improving the water supply system. Mayor Jyothi Patil also wrote a letter to the HDMC commissioner in this regard. In the letter, the mayor stated that during the general body meeting on Jan 31, a resolution was passed to implement an OTS scheme to help citizens clear their pending water bills on the lines of the BBMP corporation. The state govt introduced the OTS scheme in the BBMP limit, and a similar scheme should be extended to Hubballi-Dharwad. Under this scheme, interest will be waived off and only the principal amount of the bill will be collected. In the letter, the mayor appealed to the HDMC commissioner to send a proposal to the govt seeking its approval to implement this scheme in Hubballi-Dharwad.HDMC commissioner Rudresh Ghali told TOI that they are taking many steps to recover the pending water bills, but many are not cooperating with the corporation. Many citizens, including commercial complexes, domestic users, and govt departments, did not yet clear their water bills. The water bill amounting to Rs 324 crore is still pending, of which around Rs 124 crore is the interest accrued on the principal amount in the last few years. Notices were served and meetings were held, and they did everything to recover the bill, but it was not yet cleared. Around Rs 174 crore was due from domestic users alone, while the rest will come from commercial and govt institutions.There are also plans to implement an OTS scheme, and it was also decided during the last general body meeting. He said he will go through the letter sent by the mayor and take appropriate measures to send a proposal to the state govt seeking its approval to implement the OTS scheme in Hubballi-Dharwad.Social worker Chintan Hattikal said that it is a welcome move and OTS should be implemented in the interest of poor and middle-class families. He also said the authorities should take proper measures to improve the water supply system in Hubballi-Dharwad. Many areas are still getting irregular water supply, which left citizens worried, so it should be sorted out as early as possible, he added.
