The Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) has finally agreed to make part payment of Rs. 2 crore out of the Rs. 32.61 crore accumulated arrears payable to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB). Of the Rs.32.61 crore, Rs. 24 crore was outstanding dues and the rest is interest on the same amount.
It has also decided to pay Rs. 4.33 crore connection charges towards water supply from Hasmathpet and Gunrock Village pump houses. The SCB needs to pay another Rs. 9.73 crore for commencement of water supply of eight lakh gallons per day from Karkhana reservoir.
The HMWSSB has recently demanded that the SCB pay Rs.32.61 crore within six months promising to freeze the amount without levying further interest on the existing arrears.
At a special board meeting on Wednesday, members observed that clearing such a huge amount within six months was tough and agreed to make part payment.
“It was decided to request the HMWSSB to permit six months for paying the rest of the dues,” said SCB Chief Executive Officer Sujatha Gupta. HMWSSB is presently collecting about Rs.1.27 crore as monthly bill from SCB charging Rs.13.50 per kilolitre.
A request is being made to the government to offer concession for water supplied to slums, she said. SCB is allotting unique consumer numbers to all consumers and install water meters. About 5,000 water meters are to be installed in Bolarum shortly as a pilot project, she explained.
