Unpaid water bills: Palike struggling to find money for salaries

Tumakuru Mahanagara Palike used to earn up to Rs 2 crore per month from water bills. Because of the lockdown, the Palike has so far earned on Rs 80 lakh only in April.

The salaries of water supply division employees were being paid from the earnings from water bills. With the fall in revenue this month, the Palike is finding it difficult to pay employees' salaries.

Even though there are multiple modes of online payment available for water bills, many people in Tumakuru still have the habit of paying offline by standing in queues at the payment counter. Because the water supply bill counters have not opened for over 40 days, the payment of water bills has not been as per the target.

As a result, water supply division staff and even pourakarmikas may face a salary cut or some other form of salary deduction this month according to a senior Palike official.

To make up for the shortfall in revenue, Palike staff are going door-to-door to collect water and sanitation taxes and charges. Property taxes that are paid at this time of the year, are also being collected at doorsteps. But even this measure seems to be slacking because only 41% of the dues have been collected so far.