Chandigarh, December 22: The MC today removed an illegal water connection of a flat allotted to Punjab Congress legislator Raj Kumar Verka at the MLA Hostel in Sector 3 here. The MC action came during a major crackdown against illegal connections and defaulters of water bills. Another illegal water connection of a factory in Maloya was also cut.
Besides, a civic body team removed the water connection of a building in Sector 29 for non-payment of dues of Rs 1 lakh. The MC team, under the guidance of Executive Engineer Suresh Kumar Gill, reached Verka’s flat at around 11 am.
While the legislator was not present during the drive, a person residing there, Paramjit, failed to show the document pertaining to the water connection. While he showed the flat allotment letter, he feigned ignorance about the connection saying the MLA was yet to shift there.
When contacted, MLA Raj Kumar Verka said he was not aware of the water connection. He said though he was allotted the flat in April, he was yet to take its possession. The MLA said he was told by an official of the department concerned that the estimate of renovation had been prepared and the work would begin soon.
Verka said he never visited the flat but some of items taken from his Delhi house were kept in a room of the flat.The MC team also snapped the water connection of another flat, which was vacant.
Earlier, the team had raided a factory on the outskirts of Maloya and found an illegal water connection. Gill said a penalty would be imposed on the factory owner.
Action against defaulters was taken as per the provisions of the Chandigarh Water Supply Bylaws 2011. Sources said the water bill defaulters owe Rs 16 crore to the MC. Majority of the defaulters are in villages and colonies like Bapu Dham, Mauli Jagran, Ram Darbar, Dadu Majra, Palsora and Maloya.The government departments of Haryana, Punjab and UT also owe water bills.
The MC has been facing the heat for not being able to recover dues. During a meeting recently, MC Commissioner Jitender Yadav had asked officials to intensify the drive against defaulters. Recently, an MC team had snapped more than 200 water connections, including the one given to the house of BJP councillor Jagtar Singh Jagga, in Govind Pura area of Mani Majra.
The authorities restored the connections after a protest by local residents.Jagga said the MC had not provided them legal connections. He said the Administration had denotified the area in 2009 and water lines were laid in 2014 but the authorities failed to give water connection to them despite their requests.
Gill said they had snapped the connections as water was being used for free. He said all residents were asked to obtain temporary connections soon. If they failed to do so, action would be taken as per law. Jagga said he would raise the issue in the House meeting.
Source Tribune India
