Unpaid bills: Defaulters warned of water supply disconnection

Wasa issues final notice to various govt departments, banks and police

RAWALPINDI: Civic authorities in Rawalpindi have warned various government departments of disconnection of water supply if they failed to pay outstanding dues. 

An official of the Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) told The Express Tribune that the defaulters have been sent final notice to pay their outstanding dues within five days.

If they failed to pay their outstanding bills their supply would be disconnected, he said.

Various government bodies including the police, education department and banks, owe Rs10 million to the agency for not paying their water bills for the last several years.



There are about 10 government schools in the city, which owe around Rs576,349  to Wasa. Various banks which have not paid their bills include Bank of Punjab which owes Rs100,193, Allied Bank Rs745,252 and Habib Bank Rs72,495 to the agency.

Amount outstanding against various police stations include the City Police Station Rs58,386, Waris Khan Police Station Rs36,709 and Banni Police Station Rs41,917, the New Town DSP office owes Rs14,900.

The education department and its affiliate institutes which have not paid their bills include the office of the Deputy District Education Officer (female) Rs34,600, Viqarun Nisa Girls College Rs21,301, Government Elementary College for Teachers Rs14,408 and the OPF College Rs5,603, the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Rawalpindi Rs11,737.

The list of defaulters also includes Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) which has not paid Rs1.33 million for the last two years. Rawalpindi Press Club, the Town Municipal Administration (TMA) Office and Rescue 15 are also among the city government departments which have not paid their water bills.

The Forest Department dues stand at Rs86,772 and Fire Brigade has not paid an amount of Rs58,189.

The official said that these departments were issued several notices in the past. “We have now served them the final notice to pay their dues within five days or else their connections will be disconnected,” he said.

The official said that the dues could be paid in installments.

When contacted, Rawalpindi City Police Officer Israr Ahmad Abbasi said that if there were any arrears they would be paid. He claimed that he had no information about any notice issued to the police stations.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2015.