KOCHI: Unable to conduct regular revenue adalats to recover long-term dues, the Kerala Water Authority has decided to reach out to nearly 15,000 consumers over the phone to settle disputes regarding bill payments.The decision comes after long-pending dues touched `1500 crore. Conducting regular revenue adalats is not feasible owing to the social distancing protocol in place. This is urging KWA to take the phone route, said an officer. According to him, petitioners will be allowed to attend the office during a specified time, only if their presence is deemed necessary.
The KWA started revenue adalats in March, but only managed to conduct them in Malappuram, Palakkad and a few parts of Kollam. Though settlements were reached in sub-divisional offices, the petitioners could not pay the dues due to the lockdown. Now, the amount without additional penalties could be paid to KWA. The process is expected to be completed in December as per the directions from KWA managing director Pranabjyoti Nath.
The settlements are important for petitioners as unpaid dues would result in accumulation of 12 per cent interest for domestic customers. For non-domestic users, it is calculated at 24 per cent. “The dispute resolution window offers an opportunity for one-time settlement. The interest charges are usually given a 50 per cent waiver during adalats,” said the officer. The KWA settled arrears worth `724 crore last year.
Special cases
According to KWA officers, there have been instances where a customer sold the property without giving up the water connection, inviting huge dues. The new owner is liable for payment and failure in doing so would attract revenue recovery measures.