Residents of neighbourhoods in Zone 14 have one question when they are face to face with the staff at any of the Metro Water offices. Why should I pay the tax for sewerage connection when the work is not yet completed?
The question invariably elicits the following response — “Payment of this tax is mandatory to enable work on the sewerage infrastructure.”
The residents of Zone 14 (Perungudi), which has 11 divisions covering Puzhuthivakkam, Ullagaram, Perungudi, Pallikaranai and Madipakkam, are now visiting these offices because they have to. They have been sent letters to come and pay for the sewerage connection.
“Even when Perungudi was under the panchayat limits, we were asked to pay. I initially paid Rs. 5,000. It is unfair to ask us to pay when the work has not been completed — not just in my area, but in many others,” says P. Murugan, a vessel merchant.
These residents complain of inordinate delay in completion of the sewerage work, said to have been started over two years ago.
A note at the office of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Sewage Board at Puzhuthivakkam reads: “The water and sewerage tax collected by the Board is a component of the property tax levied by the Corporation. The Board claims 7 per cent per annum on the annual value. It is a general levy collected from the public for providing sewerage/water infrastructure to them. They have to be paid irrespective of the fact whether water/sewerage connections are provided/availed or not.”
Ullagaram and Puzhuthivakkam will be the first two divisions to get both the sewerage and water connections.
“Ninety five per cent of the work on the infrastructure is over. The remaining is the integration work, which will be completed in the next three to four months,” said an official.
These two divisions will also be the first to enjoy both the infrastructure.
Only in these divisions of Zone 14 was work on both the infrastructure started simultaneously.
At Perungudi, 85 per cent of the sewerage connection is completed and work on providing water connection will begin soon. At Madipakkam and Jalladiampet, the project is at the nascent stage with estimates being worked out.
Payment can be made at the nearest depot office. Residents who did not get the notice can pay online by entering the bill number, division number and area number at www.chennaimetrowater.gov.in.
For queries, dial 45674567 .
