Chandigarh: Water connections for houses outside ‘lal dora’

CHANDIGARH: The engineering department of the municipal corporation (MC) is planning to give permanent potable water connections to thousands of residents living outside the “lal dora” of different villages in the city.
There are approximately 1,600 such houses, according to records with the civic body.
With this move, the civic body is eyeing to generate over Rs 1crore revenue through water charges bi-monthly from residents. The agenda is coming up for a discussion and approval of members during the monthly general house meeting scheduled on Monday.
Sources in the MC said the idea came out during the revenue generation committee meeting, where some of the members brought the point. The matter was discussed among senior officers and it was decided to bring it for discussion in the general house.
The move is significant, as earlier these houses were denied water connections, as they were termed illegal. But since the engineering department of the UT administration had given electricity connections to these houses, the MC is considered permanent water connections. “Since water is essential commodity, we want to bring it in a legal form. So, a plan has been prepared to give permanent water connection. Currently, these people are getting potable water but not availing the facility in a legal manner,” an official said.