Hyderabad: The TRS seems to have different manifestos for the GHMC and the SCB. While the state government announced waiver of dues for all Water Board consumers, there’s no such promise for residents in the SCB, which has 50,000 legal connections.
Mr M.A. Jameel, president of Secunderabad Cantonment People Wel-fare Committee, said, “While campaigning for the GHMC elections, the Chief Minister had announced that the government would waive water bills of Water Board consumers. The SCB too is part of it. Unfortunately SCB residents are unable to avail of this facility though we have an MLA representing us in the Assembly. On February 12, we approached the SCB chief executive officer and we were told that no such order had been given for the SCB.”
Mr Syed Saleem, joint secretary of the committee, said the SCB was ignored for two decades. “There is less supply of water, sometimes once in eight to 10 days. One third of the water is consumed by defence officials who pay no tax. When the state has announced waiver for Water Board consumers, why should SCB residents be denied? There are huge pending bills.”
A senior official from SCB’s water service wing said it owes the Water Board Rs 22 crore. The SCB pays Rs 1.5 crore per month as water bills. Ward 5 SCB member J. Rama Krishna said, “The Chief Minister has assured to settle the matter between the SCB and the Water Board. We are pursuing the same.”
