Kerala Water Authority to begin supply cut at government institutions from Friday

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Cash-strapped Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has decided to disconnect supply lines to government institutions that are yet to clear huge bill arrears for years.
The decision was taken as part of the measures to enhance revenue generation and to give a clear message to bill defaulters that such practices will no longer be entertained by KWA.
Health department and Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) will be excluded initially, considering their services as essential for the public. However, supply lines to schools will be disconnected from Friday for non-payment of huge bills.
Various government institutions owe KWA Rs 348.42 crore as bill arrears.
Health department is the biggest defaulter with Rs 161.52 crore remaining unpaid for years. It is followed by education department (Rs 39.47 crore), public works department (Rs 39.47 crore), police (Rs 13.81 crore), tourism (Rs 40.09 crore), LSGD (Rs 21.79 crore), forest (Rs 10.37 crore), revenue (Rs 6.05 crore), cooperative (Rs 2.62 crore), irrigation (Rs 2.43 crore), jail (Rs 2.39 crore) and other government departments (Rs 10.03 crore).
A few days ago, KWA’s Pathanamthitta office disconnected supply to the mini civil station citing non-payment of bill arrears. Inspired by the move, the district officers here have also decided to act tough on defaulters.
“Only a few days ago, the managing director of KWA provided us permission to disconnect supply at government institutions for non-payment of bills. We have been communicating with all the departments compelling them to make payments. Disconnection is an extreme step as we have no other option to go ahead. From Friday onwards, we will disconnect supply at schools that delay payment of bill arrears,” said Asuntha V, revenue officer, KWA.
Earlier, KWA disconnected over 1,500 connections in non-domestic, industrial and domestic sectors. About 90% of the disconnections were in non-domestic and industrial sectors and the remaining 10% in the domestic sector.
KWA had been against disconnection in domestic and government sectors until a few days ago.
KWA is supposed to collect bill arrears of Rs 922.48 crore from bill defaulters as of June 30, 2022. The most number of bill defaulters belong to non-domestic connections with Rs 612.20 crore remaining unpaid. The domestic connections owe Rs 224.31 crore, followed by industrial (Rs 7.66 crore), special (Rs 10.04 crore) and others (Rs 68.28 crore) categories.