'Pay fine, regularise water connections'

As many as 434 cases are registered by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) against those illegally drawing water over a period of six months (January to June this year).   

With 146 cases, Bengaluru Central tops the city for the most number of illegal connections, Bengaluru West comes second with 106 cases. While Bengaluru North has reported 96 cases, there are 47 cases in Bengaluru East and 39 in Bengaluru South.

While 199 cases have been handed over to the police department, the remaining 235 cases have been resolved either by collecting penalty or by authorising the connection.

“We give people an opportunity to regularise the connection by paying a fine and asking them to pay for the amount of water they have consumed ever since they have taken the connection and to get a meter installed,” said Kemparamaiah, engineer-in-chief, BWSSB. The case goes to police only when the people are reluctant to pay fine and get meters installed.

To curb the menace, BWSSB has formed two squads, each consisting of four officers - administrative officer, accounts officer and two executive engineers. “Acting on complaints received from the people or the list of places where water is drawn more than the stipulated limit, the squads go on inspection 4-5 times a month,” said a BWSSB spokesperson.

He said as the water connections will be authorised by paying a fine and also installing a meter, it helps reduce the number of unauthorised water connections under the Unaccounted for Water project, which aims to regularise all illegal water connections.

“Since the water supply is on every alternate day, there are chances that people may take the connection from the main pipeline on days when water is not supplied,” said Kemparamaiah.

People can register complaints on 24x7 helpline number 080-22238888, he said.