Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jul 2: At the Water Adalat held at the Suratkal sub office of the City Corporation on Wednesday July 1,  mayor Shankar Bhar observed that 53% of the people residing within the City Corporation limits have kept pending water bills running into several crores of rupees.  He informed that a list of such defaulters would be published soon and steps will be taken to recover their dues and cut the water connections of chronic defaulters.

For the year ended March 2009, the Corporation has collected water bills amounting to Rs 21 crore as against Rs 11 crore the previous year, he said. The Adalat was organized to enable the people to come up with water bill related complaints and get the same rectified.

Several people got the benefit of the Adalat. A person named D M Ismail, who had received a whopping Rs 1,81,000 water bill, could get it pruned down to Rs 2,300. Another man, V Jayant, had received bill for Rs 97,000. It was cut down to Rs 2,000.

The mayor said that the Corporation is thinking of adopting new technology for preparation of water bills. For collecting pending bills, a water bill collection drive will be launched soon, he added.

Deputy mayor Rajani Dugganna, standing committee chairman Vijay Kumar Shetty, finance standing committee chairperson Ravati, health standing committee chairman Tilakraj, several corporators and in-charge commissioner P G Ramesh were present.