KARACHI: In an attempt to recover its outstanding dues amounting to billions of rupees, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) has announced a concession of upto 35 per cent for those who have not paid their water bills for years.

Calling the move a “revolutionary rebate policy,” the KWSC on Wednesday announced the offer for three months and asked all defaulters to pay their due bills by January 31, 2025 to avail the discount but made it clear that “strict action” will be taken against them after the deadline.

The decision was made at the sixth meeting of the KWSC board which was held at the Chairman’s Secretariat and presided over by the Karachi Mayor and chairman of the corporation Murtaza Wahab. The CEO of KWSC Engineer Syed Salahuddin Ahmed, chief operating officer COO Engineer Asadullah Khan, Dr Sarosh H. Lodhi, Zafar Subhani, Abdul Kabir Qazi and other board members also attended the meeting.

“During the meeting, the mayor approved an important initiative to provide better services to citizens,” said a KWSC statement issued after the meeting, referring to the rebate policy for all retail consumers of the KWSC.

“This rebate policy will benefit retail consumers who have outstanding dues. The new policy offers consumers the option of paying off outstanding dues with discounts and installment plans. The consumers paying their dues in full will receive a 35pc discount, while those who pay within six months will get a 25pc discount. The payments made within nine months will get a 20pc discount, within a year will receive 15pc and within 15 months will receive a 10pc discount. The rebate policy will be available for three months, up to January 31, 2025.”

However, the policy announced by the KWSC is not new as it has also offered such incentives in the past as well. Many believe that instead of taking any stern action against its chronic defaulters, the KWSC is offering them a concession while charges for those who pay their bills regularly were increased recently.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2024