HYDERABAD: The Water Supply Department of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) is set to disconnect water supply to residents with outstanding dues across eight wards in an effort to collect long-standing payments.
Officials report that approximately ₹6 crore is owed to the board by defaulters. Madhukar Naik, the SCB’s Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We have exercised patience in hopes that residents would eventually pay, but due to our financial constraints, we have adopted a firmer approach. Our monthly expenditure for water procurement from the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board exceeds ₹35 lakh.”
SCB records indicate that out of 23,500 household water connections, 6,580 are currently in default. “Some residents haven’t made payments since February 2022, with arrears exceeding ₹10 lakh. We’ve attempted to contact these individuals two or three times, but action was necessary when there was no response,” an anonymous official from the water supply department remarked. Officials noted that several defaulters have paid their dues after their water supply was cut off.
“In the past two days, we disconnected 33 water lines, and over ten residents have already settled their bills. We urge remaining defaulters to pay up, or they will face further disconnection,” the official added.
The community appears divided on the board’s actions. Some residents support the SCB’s decision, while others express confusion regarding the free water supply scheme initiated in 2022.
“Many residents thought the water was being supplied for free,” commented T. Satish Gupta, a resident of Ward Five.
