Trans-Hindon areas face water cut over pending arrears

GHAZIABAD: Areas of Ghaziabad across the Hindon river, including Vaishali, Kaushambi and Vasundhara, might witness a crisis in potable water supply soon, owing to non-payment of dues by the civic authority to UP Jal Nigam (UPJN). UPJN has issued a notice to Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) demanding payment of dues by July 29, failing which supply of Ganga water will be withheld from the Pratap Vihar treatment plant.
The likely closure of supply of Ganga water to GMC will, however, not affect Indirapuram, which gets its water from Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA).
A UPJN official said GMC owed it around Rs 10.48 crore, out of which around Rs 7 crore was in arrears accumulated at the close of financial year 2013-14. He said that GMC has not paid a single penny since April this year vide the quarterly bill payment system, which, for the period between April and July amounts to over Rs 3 crore.
"The notice was issued to GMC after several reminders went unheeded. It is unfeasible for us to continue the supply with such mounting arrears," said R K Agarwal, project manager, UPJN.
The municipal corporation is the single-largest consumer of Ganga water since the successful completion of the first phase of the Ganga Jal project. Of the 50 cusecs of Ganga water that is at present treated at Pratap Vihar, 23 cusecs is procured by GMC while Noida Authority and GDA take 20 cusecs and 7 cusecs respectively.