The Municipal Corporation (MC) of Chandigarh is taking a tough stance against illegal water connections outside village boundaries, marked by the ‘lal dora’ line. This follows allegations against a junior engineer (JE), Sukhraj Singh, of providing these connections in Daria village in connivance with residents.
The MC’s action plan involves:
Removal of Existing Illegal Connections: Starting from Daria village, the MC will remove all illegal connections found outside the ‘lal dora’ boundary across all 22 UT villages. A committee has been formed to assess and remove these connections on a daily basis.
Action Against Involved Officials: Strict action will be taken against any official found involved in providing or facilitating these illegal connections. The letter from the Chief Engineer, MC, to the Superintending Engineer, Public Health, specifically mentions pursuing action based on video evidence showcasing a lack of supervision by field staff in Daria.
Analysis of the MC’s proposal for temporary water connections to the 2,128 current consumers living within the ‘lal dora’ is still pending with the UT Administration. If the MC’s proposal is sanctioned by the UT Administration, an estimated revenue of around Rs 4.01 crore could be generated by the corporation in its first year.
Background:
The ‘lal dora’ line separates the village habitation area from agricultural land. Residents living outside this boundary often face challenges in accessing basic amenities like water connections. While the MC acknowledges this issue, providing illegal connections is not considered a sustainable solution.
What it Means:
This crackdown on illegal connections could lead to temporary water scarcity for residents outside the ‘lal dora’ in these villages. However, the long-term goal is to establish a more regulated system for providing water access. The approval of the MC’s proposal for temporary connections could be a positive step in this direction.
The incident also highlights the importance of proper oversight within the MC to prevent similar instances in the future.
