VADODARA, Dec 2: Municipal Commissioner G R Aloria today admitted that senior civic officers had failed to appreciate the gravity of the Tarsali water problem, even as the Vadodara Municipal Corporation was learnt to be taking steps to ensure water supply to residents of the area.Municipal staff were reportedly assaulted on Tuesday when they went to sever water connections; their vehicles were also damaged. Talking to reporters, Aloria said he had been given the impression that there were only 32 unauthorised connections in Tarsali housing societies, outside the city limits. ``Later, we came to know that there were 566 unauthorised connections'', he said, adding that in half of the cases, the residents had not even paid developmental charges.Had the Corporation been aware of the reality, the situation could have been tackled differently, Aloria said. ``The senior most officers should have visited the site'', he added.All unauthorised connections would be surveyed within the next two days, Aloria said, adding that whatever plans were chalked out subsequently would consider the humanitarian aspect as well.``Regularisation of the connections is not under my jurisdiction,'' Aloria said, adding that a decision about fining the defaulters would be taken later.Mayor Bharati Vyas, however, said though the VMC would give Tarsali residents water on humanitarian grounds, they would be fined for not paying water charges.
