Hyderabad: The city water board has promised cash rewards for anyone reporting illegal connections, electric motors, tapping from the main pipeline or not paying their water bills. About 35 per cent of the water supplied is non-billed in the city, the second-highest after Delhi. And as the Water Board does not have adequate staff to detect illegal activities, it has decided to announce the reward scheme.
Water Board general manager, revenue, Praveen Kumar said consumers with illegal connections would be given an opportunity to get them regularised with a minimum penalty. “Such consumers can approach the Water Board offices across the city to get the warranty disclosure benefit. The board will not penalise them and will legalise the connections. The penal amount will be reduced as well,” he said.
Following this, anyone identifying illegal connections can report to the Water Board staff and the erring consumers will be heavily penalised. A portion of the fine amount will be shared with the informer, Mr Kumar said. According to the officer, the scheme will be announced in a week after approval from the managing director.
