MARGAO
Water consumers from the Gogol Housing Board on Monday gheraoed PWD officials for the hefty bills they have received ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs over one lakh for the consumption of water.
The residents have also questioned the PWD, water supply officials over how some of the consumers have received the sewerage charges when their houses are not yet connected to the sewerage network.
The residents led by Tara Kerkar and others demanded that the government streamline the computation of the water consumption charges and give relief to the beleaguered consumers. Pointing out that while the government has made water free up to a ceiling of 16,000 litres a month, she demanded that every consumer should get the benefit of the 16,000-litre free scheme, adding that ‘the consumers should be billed beyond the 16,000 litres”.
The consumers have demanded that the PWD raise the bills every month instead of sending the bills once in six months.
“How are the people expected to pay the hefty bills running into thousands of rupees when they struggle to make two ends meet. Every water consumer should not be charged for the first 16,000 litres of water, and the slab should be minimum and not flat as has been made applicable to the people”, she lamented.
The residents pointed out that many of the houses in the Gogol housing board are still not connected to the sewerage network, but they have been charged the sewerage charges in the water bill.
After giving the water consumers a patient hearing, the officials requested them to put forth their problems and grievances in writing, promising to act on them.
