Collection of sewerage cess from residents of colonies where there is no underground drainage network has kicked up a row.
A large number of colonies in surrounding municipalities do not have underground drainage network and yet the Water Board is collecting sewerage cess from residents.
Citizens are crying foul over the levy of sewerage cess and have asked the Water Board to first provide drainage lines.
“This is ridiculous. Water Board is a government agency and should levy cess for the infrastructure or service rendered by it. We spent money on construction of septic tanks. Then why should we pay sewerage cess to the Board? The government should direct the Board to immediately stop collecting cess from colonies where there is no drainage network of the Board,” said Radha Ramani, resident of Uppal.
The drainage issue is a big scam in peripheral areas, say residents.
“While officials say that it is GHMC which is maintaining the existing inadequate sewerage system in surrounding municipalities, why should the citizens pay sewerage cess to Water Board? There is no clarity among residents who end up paying money for sewerage connections to both GHMC as well as the Water Board to avoid running around offices,” said Ramesh Kumar, resident of Naveennagar in Malkajgiri.
Citizens are demanding that the government direct the Board to re-adjust the sewerage cess in future water bills, in all such cases where underground drainage betwork is not provided by the Board.
In many cases, GHMC collects drainage connection charges but does not send its officials to provide or monitor sewer connection process. The applicant is engaging labour and getting pipes of his or her choice laid.
Water Board director D.S. Rami Reddy confirmed that they are collecting sewer cess from all areas irrespective of sewer network being provided by the Board or not.
“Citizens are liable to pay sewer cess to the Board which has installed sewerage treatment plants at various water bodies in to which the sewerage from colonies is ultimately entering into. We are treating the sewerage at one point or the other,” he said.