Borewells in Cantt declared ‘illegal’
In this photograph taken on May 8, 2016, an eldeerly Indian villager washes utensils with contaminated water at a borewell in the village of Gangnauli in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. PHOTO: AFP
All borewells drilled by owners of plazas, shopkeepers and citizens within the limits of the garrison have been declared illegal by the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB).
The board subsequently issued notices to regularise the borings while simultaneously levying hefty fees for the same.
A sum of Rs150,000 has been fixed as fee for the regularisation, while the owners will be billed Rs50,000 per month for the usage of water through these borewells.
The RCB has said that since the water procured from the borings is used for commercial purposes, the said borewells have been declared illegal.
The notices have also warned that in case the borewells are not regularised within a week, action will be taken against the owners, which may result in closing down the borewells and imposition of heavy fines.
Citizens and shopkeepers affected by the notices are in a state of panic, with the latter insisting that the bored water is used for drinking and is not sold as implied in the notice.
The affectees have adopted the stance that water obtained through borewells and used in households is not taxable, and that the electricity bill generated by boring is also paid by them.
The shopkeepers have announced that they will go to court and challenge the bills presented by the RCB.
The RCB has also failed to regularise 50 water hydrants in its jurisdiction. This failure has given room to people operating private water tanker businesses to supply water to the residents at an exorbitant rate.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2022.