Connect sewer lines or pay up

LUCKNOW: Come June, Jal Sansthan (Jal Kal) along with Jal Nigam will begin a campaign to encourage people to join sewer connections of their houses with main trunk lines within 15 days of laying sewer chambers. Failing to do so would attract a fine of anything between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.
A large part of the city was covered from 2008-2012 under the JNNURM project but many houses couldn't get connected due to lack of awareness and laxity of Jal Sansthan.
After the 4-year wait, people can get their houses connected with main sewer lines as the Centre has sanctioned money under AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) scheme for laying sewer chambers in colonies.
Jal Sansthan GM Rajiv Bajpai said, "We couldn't connect sewer lines till date as we didn't have money for buying chambers. These are important to connect all nearby houses of an area with the main trunk line. Through AMRUT funds, we will be able to lay chambers and give connections from June onwards."
However this time, Jal Sansthan has decided to make it mandatory for people to take sewer connections within 15 days of chamber installation, else they could be issued challan. Bajpai said, "Earlier also, many people were reluctant to pay connection charges, so they never came forward to get the connections. Our drive will mandate all to take sewer connections."
Jal Nigam had laid around 1,176 km of sewer-lines under JNNURM project to benefit population of about 12 lakh living in areas like Indiranagar, Aliganj, Janakipuram, Takrohi, Shivajipuram, Rahim Nagar, Vikasnagar, Mahanagar, Kamta, Chinhat, Kalyanpur, Dubagga and areas around Kukrail Nullah etc.
As per Jal Nigam, 50% houses of these areas still remain unconnected. An official said, "In Old city, around 20,000 houses need to be connected on priority in areas like Balaganj, Daulatganj, Dubagga etc while in Aliganj, Rahimnagar, Janakipuram, Kalyanpur, Triveni Nagar etc, more than 50,000 houses have to be connected."
In Indiranagar, Ismailganj, Takrohi, Chinhat etc, around 25,000 houses need to get sewer connections.
LMC's health officer PK Singh said, "There is a provision of levying fine of Rs 500-1,000 on people not taking sewer connections. We would take action on those who are issued challans under this drive."