No occupancy certificate? Pay five times more water tariff

Nagpur: In an interesting move, Nagpur Environmental Services Limited’s (NESL) board of directors has decided to charge five times more water tariff to flats and individual houses which do not have occupancy certificate. The board, however, rejected the water works department’s proposal to completely relax the mandatory norm of occupancy certificate for getting new water connection.
NESL directors met on Saturday to discuss 12 proposals. Mayor Pravin Datke, chairman of the board and other directors, including municipal commissioner Shravan Hardikar, and MLA Sudhakar Kohle were present.
Kohle said NESL board came up with a solution to prevent violations and provide water supply to citizens. “Occupancy certificate is mandatory but not many follow it due to building norms violations on a large scale. Hapless citizens will have to suffer for the mistakes of builders and developers. NESL board discussed the issue for one hour following which a decision was taken to provide new water connection to flats and individual houses in the name of under-construction consumer,” he said.
Kohle said there was nothing wrong in taking the decision. “Lack of occupancy certificate means construction was not completed. There is a provision to give new water connection for construction purposes in bylaws. We will have to give connection in case application is received in accordance with this norm. Therefore, new connection will be given to flats and houses lacking occupancy certificate in different category,” he said.
According to water bylaws, minimum tariff for residential consumers is Rs6.37 for units from 0-20, followed by Rs10.21 per unit for consumption between 21-30 units, Rs14.03 per unit for 31-80 units and Rs19.14 per unit for above 80 units. In case of lack of occupancy certificate, the residential consumer will have to pay Rs31.90 per unit for 0-20 units followed by Rs44.68 per unit for 21-80 and Rs57.42 unit for above 80 units. Thus, NESL board encouraged violations, but at a cost.
NESL board also decided to supply treated water to Godhani village and raw water to Bokhara village. “NMC is committed to supply water to villages in its periphery. Only two villages requested for water and will get it. Other villages too are welcome,” it said.
Shockingly, NESL board has approved the proposal to appoint consultant for monitoring operation and maintenance of water works. The decision was taken despite water works being handed over to private operator and NESL prevailing upon to monitor operation and maintenance of water works.
NESL board also approved a proposal to spend Rs5 crore on improving water infrastructure from its kitty despite the fact that water works would be in control of private operator for 25 years. The board has directed the department to chalk out proper plan to thoroughly monitor water supply through tankers in non-network areas as it has no data of to which areas the water is being supplied.
South Nagpur to go dry for 24 hrs
Major parts of south Nagpur will get no water supply for over 24 hours on May 12 and 13. Sidelining its own norm to not shut down during summer, NMC has planned to disconnect supply to areas getting water from Omkar Nagar overhead water, Mhalgi Nagar and Reshimbagh.
Chairman of water works consultative committee Sudhakar Kohle ruled out water supply to affected areas through any other alternative source like tankers. “It is not possible to supply water through tankers to over 50,000 people. It’s a matter of just one day and I request the citizens to store enough water for one more day to avoid inconvenience,” he said.
Kohle added that affected areas will begin to get more water supply after the shut down. “New Pench-IV water treatment plant has started to work at its full strength. Water is supplied to north Nagpur areas in existing scenario. Water will be supplied to south Nagpur from new plant after the inter-connection works proposed during the shut down,” he said.