SMC not liable to pay water bill: Mayor

Irrigation department threatens to cut supply to Surat city

The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has hit out at the state irrigation department for issuing water bills of Rs 16 crore to it.

Mayor Snehlata Chauhan, said: "SMC is permitted to draw up to 300 cusec water each day from Tapi river without having to pay any charge. But it has been drawing just about 150 cusec, or 50 per cent of the permitted level. However, the irrigation department has slapped water bills of Rs 16 crore on SMC."

"The irrigation department has committed a grave mistake by issuing the bills, as SMC is not entitled to pay any money to it," she said.

The irrigation department has also threatened to cut off water supply to Surat city if the bills are not paid.

According to SMC sources, the irrigation department slapped water bills of Rs 16 crore on SMC a few months back. On December 24, the irrigation department issued a final notice, in which, it has threatened to cutoff the water supply to Surat, if SMC does not pay the bills at the earliest.

In view of possibility that the irrigation department might go ahead and actually cut off water supply to the city, BJP representatives in the SMC raised the issue with state water resources minister Narottam Patel in Gandhinagar on Tuesday.

"We discussed the situation with Patel. He has issued necessary directions to the irrigation department, and assured us that it will not take any steps until the P K Laheri committee, which was appointed by the state government to look into the issue earlier, submits its report," the mayor informed.

"Our stand is very clear. SMC has not utilised higher than the permitted quantity of water, and hence it is not entitled to pay any money to the irrigation department," Chauhan added.