Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation fails to clear Rs 11 crore water dues

HYDERABAD: In yet another row between two government agencies, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has threatened to stop drinking water supply to several areas unless the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) coughs up Rs 11.26 crore dues.
The water board had in 2009 taken up the responsibility of supplying drinking water through tankers to the 12 GHMC surrounding municipal circles of Alwal, Kapra, Kukatpally, L B Nagar, Gaddiannaram, Malkajgiri, Patancheru, Qutubullapur, Rajendranagar, Ramachandrapuram, Serilingampally and Uppal.
Unlike in the GHMC limits, where water is supplied by the HMWS&SB through tankers, in the surrounding areas, the GHMC performs the responsibility. The water board collects Rs 400 from the GHMC for supplying for each tanker (5,000 litres) for domestic customers and Rs 700 for non-domestic (commercial) users. In all, the water board is operating 168 tankers in the surrounding municipalities. As per the understanding, the GHMC collects money from the consumers for supplying the water, and should repay the same to the water board. However, although the GHMC collects money from the consumers, it has not passed on the same to the water board. "Ever since when we started supplying water to the 12 municipalities in 2009, we have requested the GHMC to pay us the money due to us. It stands at Rs 11.26 crore now. But the corporation has not responded to our pleas," said HMWS&SB director-revenue P Suryanarayana.
A few months ago, the water board had sent a reminder to the GHMC urging it to clear the dues, but so far, there has been no reply, he said. "If the dues are not cleared soon, we will not allow the GHMC tankers to take water at our filling points, the official added.