MADURAI: The accumulated dues of Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board over the past five years (2019-26) have touched Rs 58.36 crore, say officials of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL). The public water supplier cited unpaid water bills amounting to Rs 40 cr by civic bodies in Madurai district created a liquidity squeeze.
Speaking to TNIE, a TNPDCL official said "Mounting dues are creating a huge burden on the finances of our organisation. In the Madurai division, among the all government agencies, TWAD has the largest pending power bills. With more than 160 service connections in Madurai city and rural segments, the monthly dues are mounting every day."
"While TWAD Board owed Rs 5.15 cr to TNPDCL (Madurai Metro), it was yet to settle Rs 54.51 cr arrears to TNPDCL (Rural Circle),i.e., a total dues of Rs 58.36 cr," the official stated, adding, "as the dues increase every month, we levied a Belated Payment Surcharge (BPSC) of 0.5% penalty on the due but even that has not been paid for more than 60 days. The BPSC is 1.5% for domestic consumers and 0.50% for commercial entities."
The BPSC accounts for Rs 19 cr out of the total current dues of Rs 58.36 cr, the official added.
CITU-TNPDCL Employees Union (Madurai) Secretary P Arivazhagan said the dues have not been paid even after sending notices several times.
"They make inadequate payment every time, but this is not enough. As power is essential to pumping water, we cannot disconnect the service. Moreover, even diesel generators cannot be used for high- powered pumps; so TWAD has no option but to use direct power from TNPDCL," Arivazhagan explained.
Speaking to TNIE, TWAD (Madurai) Chief Engineer K Ganesh confirmed the dues were pending for a long time. He said,"The huge bills aren't sudden, but gradual accumulation of dues and it has posed a huge burden for us. Our dues are just Rs 39 cr excluding the BPSC."
"We use around 300 water pumps for water supply to the local bodies and town panchayats. Every month, power bills for the Cauvery Combined Water Supply Scheme (CWSS) for Melur, Thirumangalam, Usilampatti touch Rs 1.50 cr. The BPSC is added to the power dues when the payment of the bills is added. The mounting dues have become a big problem," Ganesh said.
The TWAD Board has, meanwhile, sought waiver of the dues. Higher authorities in Madurai and elsewhere have requested for it," the official confirmed. "We aren't the ones who are delaying the payment. Local bodies such as panchayats and town panchayats are yet to pay their water charge, which is the sole revenue for us. We believe around Rs 40 cr is yet to be settled by these local bodies from Madurai district," the chief engineer stated.
