Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Haryana formulates Rural Water Policy

 by Haryananewswire (Balbir)
CHANDIGARH, JUNE 27
The Haryana Government has formulated Haryana State Rural Water Policy 2012 to save precious drinking water by prevention of wastage through public stand posts, open taps and unmetered connections.
          While stating this today, a spokesman of the Public Health Engineering Department said that this policy has been formulated  keeping in view the present scenario of high percentage of wastage of water through unmetered connections provided to the consumers in rural areas which are being billed on flat rate basis. The policy reflects resolve of the State Government to bring about conservation of water and prevent wastage and reduction in non-revenue water in rural areas of the State. It embodies the optimum use of water which is the nation’s limited resource.     
He said that under this policy individual household metered connections would be provided to 50 per cent rural population by the end of 12th Five Year Plan. Also, the consumers would be billed on the basis of volumetric consumption of water instead of flat rates, he added.
          He said that the policy would be mandatory for all types of consumers namely domestic, commercial, industrial and institutional sectors in the private, semi government premises. He said that the policy would have the force of administrative regulations and it would bind all participant, stakeholders, and personnel to enforceable performance. The policy would be applicable to all service providing authorities namely Public Health Engineering Department, Housing Board, Haryana Urban Development Authority, Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Development and Panchayats Department or any other department or Government authority dealing with the subject.
          He said that there would be a State Level Empowered Committee under the Chairmanship of Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary to Government, Public Health Engineering Department which would include representatives of all the service providing authorities. The committee would aim at streamlining the implementation of the policy and grievances redressal system. He said that the committee would have full powers to take decisions in respect of policy contents and changes in the procedure to be adopted. The decisions taken by the committee would be implemented by the authorities in the field and the progress of the implementation of the policy would be reviewed periodically, he added.
He said that in case the meter is found not functioning, the consumer would get it repaired or replaced within one month at his own cost, otherwise he would be charged penal rate to be decided by the authority from time to time. All consumers having unmetered water connections would have to install the meters of reputed make with ISI mark having good performance at their own cost. No water connection with ferrule size of more than 6mm diameter for domestic consumers would be allowed, he added.
          He said that any insanitary connection, if detected by the department, would be disconnected immediately without giving any notice and would be restored only after necessary rectification by consumer with a fine or penalty to be fixed by authorities. He said that installation of electric or mechanical pumps direct on supply line would not be allowed to any consumer. He said that a penalty of Rs 1200 would be levied wherever such pumps installed direct on supply line are detected. It would be directed by Public Health Engineering Department to all consumers through handbills proclamation that direct online pumps would be confiscated and supply to the defaulting consumer would be disconnected.
          He said that Haryana State has declared incentives to village Panchayats for promoting water conservation. The village Panchayats who ensure provision of taps on all the private and public connections and a minimum of 75 per cent of the households having sanctioned private water connections in the village would be eligible for incentives for water conservation. He said that the amount of reward would be Rs 20,000 for village with population up to 2000, Rs 30,000 for village with population between 2000 and 3000, Rs 40,000 for village with population between 3000 and 4000 and Rs 50,000 for village with population more than 4000.
          He said that Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) are being constituted and these committees would be entrusted with the task of encouraging the public to take metered water connections in the rural areas. He said that the revenue collected through water charge would be given to the Panchayats for development works and for carrying effective maintenance of the schemes.
He said that in case of any dispute of water bills, the consumer would approach the concerned Executive Engineer for dispute redressal by paying 50 per cent of the disputed amount along with the application. The application, not accompanied by the proof of deposit of 50 per cent amount, would not be entertained. He said that the consume could file an appeal to the concerned Superintending Engineer within 30 days of issue of the order of dispute redressal by the Executive Engineer provided that the consumer has already paid 50 per cent of the specified disputed amount. He said that the decision of Superintending Engineer would be final and binding on both the parties.
He said that the consumers would be divided into two broad categories namely Domestic and Commercial, Industrial as well as Institutional. The domestic category would include premises used for residence, hostels of education institutions of the Government, working women’s hostels run by the Government, Government recognized destitute homes, orphanage, charitable homes, blind schools, schools for physically handicapped persons, spastic children, piaos meant for drinking purposes and place of worship, cremation ground and cemetery. 
          He said that the operation and maintenance of distribution system along with revenue collection could be done through outsourcing in a phased manner. The outsourced agency would be provided with the metered bulk supply for further distribution to the consumers and it would also facilitate the release of new connections by the authority.
          He said that Water and Power Thana have been setup across the State. The domain of these thanas would also include the enforcement of law for implementation of this policy.
          He said that the State Government would be the competent authority for any amendment in this policy on the recommendations of State Level Empowered Committee.  

No comments: