In an effort to realise the outstanding bills accumulating around Tk1.5 crore from various domestic and commercial consumers, Chittagong Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (CWASA) has published a list of top 50 bill defaulters in local dailies on September 23. However, the move did not elicit much response from the defaulters.
The top 50 defaulters did not pay off the bills from 12 months to 45 months. The decision to publish the list of top 50 defaulters was taken at the 28th board meeting of Chittagong Wasa.
Following the publishing of the defaulters’ list, only eight of them contacted the Chittagong Wasa for paying off partial arrears. One defaulter served Chittagong Wasa a legal notice showing his objection to the amount of the bill.
Chittagong Wasa owes Tk7, 41, 783 to The Coastal Sea Foods Ltd which tops the defaulter list for not clearing the bill for 25 months. Meanwhile, the fish processing company located in BSIC area on Sagarika Road contacted Chittagong Wasa and so far paid Tk 83,000 the CWASA.
On the other hand, M/s Choice Washing Ltd and M/s Choice Garments Ltd rank second and third in the defaulters’ list respectively for not paying off dues amounting to Tk11,32,592.
This correspondent repeatedly tried to reach the proprietors of two businesses SM Fazlul Haque over phone on Thursday. However, the apparel entrepreneur did not pick up the phone.
Mohammad Musa, a resident of the city’s Chawkbazar area, has not paid Tk136,510 as bills.
He told the Dhaka Tribune that he had stopped clearing the dues as Chittagong Wasa supplied dirty water.
Mum Apparels, one of the industrial consumers, has not paid bill for months and the bill snowballed into Tk1,55,966. The apparel factory authorities said they would pay off the bill in installments.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Chittagong Wasa Managing Director Engineer AKM Fazlulla, said: “We are supplying water to the city dwellers at the cheapest rate. However, many consumers still do not clear the bills on time.”
Domestic consumers now have to buy every 1,000 litre of water at Tk7.52. On the other hand, the industrial users now have to spend Tk20.53 for consuming same quantity of water.
Chittagong Wasa has 54,330 domestic and 7,387 commercial and industrial connections. However, the water supplying authority prepares bills for around 55,000 consumers while water supply to some 5,000 connections is now suspended.
“Despite reminding repeatedly, top defaulters did not respond and pay off the dues. Later, we decided to publish the list the top defaulters. The first list contains 50 top defaulters. We are going to publish another list of the top defaulters. We will take legal actions against the defaulters and sever the utility connections if the move proves futile,” said Abdullah Al Mamun, Chief Revenue Officer of Chittagong Wasa.
“A consumer can pay off the bill without any surcharge upto 12 months. 10% Surcharge is imposed on the bill from the 14th month,” said Biswajit Bhattacharya Khokon, commercial manager of Chittagong Wasa.
Till now the Chittagong Wasa owes around Tk25 crore to government, non-government, domestic and commercial defaulters. Of the dues amounting to Tk25, the water supplying authority owes Tk13 crore to government agencies. Chittagong Wasa had prepared a list of 136 defaulters belonging to government agencies under 30 ministries last year. Of the 136 defaulters belonging to government agencies, Chittagong City Corporation, Chittagong Medical College Hospital and Housing and Public Works Department top the list.
