Deal for Gurgaon plumbers: Report illegal water connection, get Rs 1,000
Municipal Corporation of Gurugram passes agenda to incentivise licensed plumbers; process to be entirely digital, will boost safe water, legal connections across city, say officials.
As councillors across wards flagged issues with water supply and motor operations, Dahiya said the solution lay in technology. (File Photo/ Representational) Plumbers licensed with the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) will get a reward of Rs 1,000 for every illegal or unauthorised water connection they bring to the attention of the civic body, the MCG House has decided.
At a general sitting on Monday (May 11), a noisy House passed this agenda point, which officials said was necessary to ensure safe and billed water supply across the city.
The proposal read: “… An incentive may be given to plumbers for reporting illegal/ unauthorized connections post verification by MCG, @1000/ connection to ensure illegal connections are tapped and converted.”
Section 214(5) of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, says that “The Corporation may, from time to time, prescribe the charges to be paid to licensed plumbers for any work done by them under or for any of the purposes
of this Chapter,” the proposal noted.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Yash Jaluka said this process would be implemented and monitored digitally. MCG, he said, is the only civic body where the process of applying for a water connection is fully digital.
A woman fills a water bottle at the public utility tap in Sabzi Mandi area on Thursday morning. (File Photo)
“It (the incentive scheme for plumbers) will be IT-based end-to-end. We are doing this to ensure safe water for all. We are the only municipal corporation in the country where the water connection application process is fully online for those with valid property IDs,” Jaluka told the House.
Councillor for Ward 22 (which covers a large part of the prime Golf Course Road) Advocate Vikas Yadav pointed out during the discussion on the proposal that plumbers also have knowledge about illegal suction/ pressure pumps, which carry pollutants.
Jaluka and Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya acknowledged that residents do attach these pumps directly to the water lines — an illegal action that the MCG would tackle in a phased manner.
As councillors across wards flagged issues with water supply and motor operations, Dahiya said the solution lay in technology, and the MCG would work towards automated micro data centres to solve water issues gradually.
“These centres, equipped with GPRS technology, will not need a human interface, [they will] flag the issues and [allow MCG to] save on labour and other costs,” he said.
While discussing the pitches to be sent to the central government as part of the Urban Challenge budget announced in the Union Budget this year, Jaluka said one of the pitches that the body planned to send involved 24×7 direct water supply.
“The goal is residents will be able to drink from taps without needing RO, water tanks or filters,” he said.
Speaking with The Indian Express during the lunch recess, Jaluka said the pitch was still at a nascent stage, but it would be part of the proposals that would be sent to the Centre. Implementation would depend on the approval of the Union government.
Tempers rose during the House sitting after BJP leader and Ward 20 (which includes Bandhwari and Baliawas areas) councillor Narayan Bhadana alleged that Commissioner Dahiya did not respond to calls and messages.
“Our teams and officials go beyond the line of duty, and they have many times worked and responded beyond working hours despite having families and being on site. I have not taken a holiday for a year (since I assumed office) and I will not tolerate such allegations against my officials lightly,” Dahiya responded firmly.
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