The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) on Saturday initiated a crackdown against consumers who have not been paying their water and sewerage bills.
Around six teams were constituted for both the East and West zones of the city, with each team comprising an assistant director, supervisor, inspector and a bill distributor. “The role of the bill distributor is important as he knows the addresses and location of each and every house in every sector,” said Umer Farooq, the agency’s spokesperson. He said each team also has a magistrate and police official at their disposal so action can be taken in case any defaulter created problems for the team.
He said 60 per cent of consumers have paid their sewerage and water bills while around 40 per cent, most of them commercial users, will be issued notices and forced to pay the arrears. The crackdown was launched after the expiry of a deadline set by Wasa to force the defaulters to pay their dues. Teams constituted for the recovery conducted raids on various hotels and service stations and confiscated five water pumps. The teams also issued notices to 25 other defaulters for payment of the arrears while seven consumers were fined, said Farooq, adding that Wasa is finalising the list of all defaulters.
Wasa Deputy Director Revenue Rana Shamsur Rahman said defaulters are asked to pay the amount on the spot and are let go, adding that those who refuse are arrested. Besides, their water connections are also disconnected which might be restored after the payment of arrears. So far, Regent Hotel and several service stations were fined and their water connections disconnected.
Computerisation under way
Officials of the agency have started a survey in Shah Khalid Colony to computerise records of all domestic and commercial consumers.
The purpose of the survey is to be able to evaluate the need of clean drinking water and future needs of the people in the area.
A six-member team has been constituted for the survey under the leadership of Deputy Director Revenue Chaudhary Muhammad Safdar on the direction of the agency’s chief. The team will prepare the record of all consumers so Wasa could disconnect water connections of all defaulters.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2014.
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