RAWALPINDI: The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has recovered Rs122.464 million outstanding dues in the first quarter of 2020-21.

A senior official of Wasa told Dawn that from July to Sept, it recovered Rs122.464 million from defaulters. He said that in August, the recovery was better than previous years and Rs42.197 million were recovered, 93pc target achieved while in July Rs40.73 million and recovery rate was 89pc and in September, Rs39.537 million recovered which was 87pc of the target.

He said Wasa severed more than 250 water connection over non-payment in last two years. However, he said that the Wasa disconnected 15 sewerage lines to recover the outstanding amount and it forced the defaulters to pay the water bills pending for last many years.

He said that water charges in the garrison city were Rs100 per month for five marla houses. He said that the agency did not get direct funding from the government and it had to run the administrative and maintenance expenditures from the water bills.

“Wasa has directed the owners of car service stations across the city to install water recycling plants following the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan,” said Wasa spokesman Umer Farooq. So far, Wasa had sealed a total of 25 service stations in the city over non-payment of dues, he said.

He said there were 150 service stations in the limits of Wasa and operation against owners of these stations would also be conducted if they failed to pay their dues within a month and they had been asked to install recycling plant to save the water. The spokesman said that incentives had been introduced for the defaulters.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2020