Many city residents expecting to avail themselves of the 20 kilo litres of free water supply right from the day the Minister had launched the scheme will be a disappointed lot. By the time the hurdles are cleared between them and the promised benefit, several of them are likely to lose the enthusiasm.
Only metered domestic consumption will be considered for the scheme in areas other than slums, which would mean that the domestic users from multi-storeyed apartment complexes will have to wait till individual meters are fixed for each flat.
Water board is yet to revise the list of empanelled agencies displayed on its website, so that the demand for meters can be matched with sufficient supply.
“We will update the list of agencies within a week’s time, along with their contact numbers. Though a list already exists on the website for fresh connections, it needs to be updated with several more agencies to match the requirement,” said an official from the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board.
Alternatively, the consumers may visit a supplier’s outlet within the premises of the Board’s headquarters in Khairatabad, and obtain the meter. Each meter with the parameters specified by the Board costs anywhere between ₹1,200 and ₹1,500.
“Only when the receipt vouching the purchase is produced before the water board, will the consumer be enrolled for the scheme starting from that date,” informed the official.
That is not the end of the story. Even where the meters are already existing, the customer will need to provide Aadhaar authentication to avail the scheme.
The benefit may be denied to him based on discrepancies between how his name is spelt in the Customer Account Number of the water board and his Aadhaar card.
P.V.Siva Kumar, a resident of Banjara Hills, was denied the benefit, as his name as per the CAN had shortened initials, whereas his full name was mentioned in the UID.
When Mr.Siva Kumar lodged a complaint to the water board through social media, the authorities responded asking him to visit the division office carrying six documents, including request letter, latest water bill, sale deed document, tax receipt or mutation certificate from the GHMC, an affidavit, and the identity proof, for the name to be changed in CAN.
“I might be saving about ₹200 over the monthly water bill, which I would pay and be done with, rather than making rounds of the Board’s offices carrying so much documentary evidence,” says Mr. Siva Kumar.
