Nagpur: Citizens residing in new independent houses or flat schemes without occupancy certificate are paying 5-6 times higher water tariff. This appears to be due to wrong policy implemented by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), which violates the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act and also Water Bylaws. Taking advantage of NMC’s wrong policy, builders are obtaining water connection from NMC’s private water operator Orange City Water Private Limited (OCW) and then giving possession of flats to citizens. However, OCW ends up charging the citizens at commercial-I (B) rates for the water. As per the Water Bylaws, NMC or OCW have to give water connection under commercial-I (B) category to construction sites for drinking water purpose for labourers working at the sites. However, NMC-OCW is applying this category to residential houses and flats, violating the Water Bylaws. The water tariff under this category is Rs31.91 per unit for 0-20 units followed by Rs63.82 per unit for 21-80, and Rs95.72 per unit for over 80 units. The tariff is 5-6 times more than that for residential category. Under residential category, the tariff is Rs6.38 for units from 0-20, followed by Rs10.21 per unit for consumption between 21-30 units, Rs14.05 per unit for 31-80 units, and Rs19.15 per unit over 80 units. This tariff will increase by 5% with effect from April 1. An example of such categorization is Madar Apartments situated at Borgaon, with six families residing there. They recently received water bill for the period from February 27 to March 31. Total consumption of water is 41 units and bill is Rs2,030. Thus, the citizens are paying around Rs50 per unit. NMC’s policy is a violation of the MRTP Act too. NMC should not permit builders to give possession of flats to citizens without obtaining occupancy certificate under the MRTP Act. NMC has to initiate action against builders in case possession is given. Unfortunately, around 90% buildings in the city do not have occupancy certificate. To compel builders to obtain occupancy certificate, NMC had taken a decision not to give water supply connection to buildings lacking occupancy certificate on January 4, 2014. The builders were in a fix after this decision since most of them do not construct flat schemes as per norms. Buckling to builders’ pressure, first Nagpur Environmental Services Limited (NESL) board of directors and then general body took a decision on May 10, 2015, to give water connection to houses and flat schemes lacking occupancy certificate on temporary basis. Accordingly, NMC water works department, through OCW, started to give water connections to such houses and flat schemes under commercial-I (B) category. Thus, NMC is violating the MRTP Act by giving water connection to houses and flat schemes lacking occupancy certificate. Also, NMC is not taking any action against builders despite knowing that houses and flat schemes do not have occupancy certificate. Mayor Pravin Datke told TOI that directives will be given to concerned officials to take action against builders giving possession of flats without obtaining occupancy certificate. “Decision was taken on humanitarian basis. It came to fore that many builders gave possession of flats to citizens without obtaining occupancy certificate. The citizens were not getting water supply, which is a must to live in the houses. I appeal to citizens to thoroughly check occupancy certificate from builder before purchasing or taking possession of flats,” he said. IN A NUTSHELL In Jan 2014, NMC decided not to give water connections to new buildings or houses without occupancy certificates Under pressure from builders, NMC started giving commercial water connections to new buildings without checking occupancy certificates Residents who took possession of flats paying 5-6 times the residential water tariff NMC decision violates Water Bylaws and MRTP Act that mandates occupancy certificate for all buildings



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