The Water Board has missed out on revenues of over Rs 100 crore as over 1,400 applications seeking new water connections are pending with the Board for a year. The state government has made submission of occupancy certificate (OCs) mandatory to get new water connections for houses constructed on 300-square metre plots or more. The move was aimed at curbing construction of unauthorised and illegal buildings, but now, thanks to some notorious Town Planning officials in the GHMC, none of the 1,400 applications carry OCs. This means that these buildings and flats have either been constructed in violation of the building plans sanctioned by the GHMC, or they are totally illegal.
An occupancy certificate is given to the building owner by the civic body only if the building is constructed as per the approved plan. Despite repeated reminders by Water Board officials to submit OCs, applicants have not submitted the mandatory certificates to get new connections. When contacted, Water Board director (technical) Sundar Ram Reddy confirmed that 1,400 applications were pending for want of OCs. “We have written to the government to at least relax norms from 300 square metres to 200 square metres so that small plot owners can avail of water connections,” he said. Minnie Mathews has convened a joint meeting of GHMC, Water Board and other officials from concerned departments on October 6 to take a decision on the issue of relaxing OC norms for new connections.