The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : IT hub owes Rs. 5.98 crore pro-rata charges to BWSSB

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Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

IT hub owes Rs. 5.98 crore pro-rata charges to BWSSB

Staff Reporter

The builder has taken illegal water and sanitary connections to two blocks
BWSSB Chairman orders detailed probe into the issue

Bangalore: Officials from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s (BWSSB) Revenue Enforcement Cell on Tuesday disconnected water and sanitary connections to IBC Knowledge Park, a 17-storeyed commercial building on Bannerghatta Road and ordered the builder to pay pro-rata charges of Rs. 5.98 crore along with penalty.

The Revenue Enforcement Cell (REC) was set up recently to probe and detect unauthorised connections that are causing huge losses to the water board. The cell, directly monitored by the BWSSB Chairman P.B. Ramamurthy, will also initiate legal action against the offenders. In its first inspection on Tuesday, the cell found that the builder of IBC Knowledge Park had taken illegal water and sanitary connections to the extended C and D blocks of the building without paying pro-rata charges to the water board.

Service charge

Pro-rata charges are one-time service charges collected by BWSSB for providing new drinking water and sanitary connections to buildings. The charges are calculated at the rate of Rs. 300 for every square metre of built up area for the connections in commercial buildings.

The builder had obtained water and sanitation facilities to the A and B blocks of the complex by paying all the prescribed charges in 2004. However, the pro-rata charges were not calculated for the entire built up area and 18,964 square metres were excluded from the calculation, BWSSB officials said.

Thereafter, the builder extended the building and illegally took water and sanitary connections to the C and D blocks covering 1,80,391 square metres. “This is a gross violation on part of the builder as he has neither taken permission from the board nor paid the pro-rata charges for the extended portion,” the officials said.

Probe ordered

The BWSSB Chairman has directed the board’s Chief Administrative Officer, G. H. Puttahalagaiah, to conduct a probe and submit a report within seven days. The penalty on the violation will be calculated and disciplinary action initiated against the builder based on the report, said the official.

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