Kerala Water Authority reels under mounting consumer dues arrears
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Thiruvananthapuram: While the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) reels under the mounting arrears of bi-monthly water charges to be paid by consumers, totalling around Rs 1,590 crore, more than 75 per cent of the defaulters are statement government offices or government-run institutions, The News Minute reported.
The state government has hiked the water charges by one paisa per litre across all categories of consumers, aiming to reduce the arrears by at least half, TNM writes.
Curiously the list of prime defaulters includes the Kerala Legislative Assembly (owing Rs 93 lakh). Among the list of defaulters who owe between Rs 50 lakh to 1 crore, there are mostly government institutions, and these institutions alone are due to pay Rs 476.5 crore.
KWA had told the state Assembly that it had been running a revenue deficit since the authority was formed. When the main revenue for the authorities, other than state grants, is charges levied on consumers. When the cost of storage, purification, and distribution of a kilolitre (1000 litres) of water is Rs 22.85, the average charge by the consumer is Rs 10.92.
KWA said that public rates are lower than expenses incurred, and it affects the body. When there were yearly increases in electricity charges, maintenance costs, salaries, pensions, and loan repayments, there won't be any corresponding increase in water charges, the body told TNM.
KWA further said that the water charges were last hiked eight years ago, in 2014, and before that, it was done in 2008.
But to boost the process of clearing arrears by the defaulters, KWA has introduced an amnesty scheme. The scheme offers relaxations for defaulters, such as paying off dues in six instalments.
The state's water authorities said that from January 1 to March 31, there will be war rooms operating in all KWA offices to ensure clearance of arrears. There will be notices issued to defaulting consumers, KWA officers visit them requesting payment etc. Further, the authority will disconnect the water supply if the issue persists even after the mentioned relaxations.
When TNM asked KWA how it could allow dues to accumulate to the tune of 1,590 crores, it replied that most of the consumers are government establishments and these consumers reason listing lack of funds or related issues. It added that the lack of funds is true, and KWA itself owes a large amount to Kerala State Electricity Board.