NOIDA: The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has initiated a probe into complaints by at least 41 residents that they have been sent water bills although pipelines to their houses are yet to be connected.
Officials said teams would fan out in the city and find out more such households that have received erroneous bills.
The teams will also map the areas where supply of water is deficient or where the infrastructure needs a revamp, added officials.
Officials said GNIDA would usually send out bills to owners of houses who have received completion certificates. The anomaly ascertained that work on laying pipelines to new houses was lagging to a large extent.
The Authority, the officials said, would ramp up work on ensuring water connections to houses. Status reports have been sought from the water and project departments, outlining the timeline for connections to households.
GNIDA will also examine cases where water pipelines have been laid, but residents have pointed out anomalies in bills. Such bills will be revised, if needed.
In at least 10 cases, apartment owners’ associations (AOAs) have alleged that water bills were addressed to them instead of the developers of their societies.
According to rules, builders are liable to pay water bills till the time societies are under their possession. When societies are handed over to the AOA, the responsibility of clearing the bills shifts accordingly.
“Yes, the Authority has received complaints regarding irregularities in water bills. There have been instances where bills were sent without a water connection. We have initiated an investigation into such complaints,” said Ashutosh Dwivedi, the GNIDA additional CEO.
Dwivedi added that the Authority had initiated a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme, offering up to a 40% discount on water bills in case of lumpsum payments.
According to the scheme, those under residential, industrial, IT, institutional and builder categories will receive interest rebates of up to 40% if bills are paid by January 31.
Allottees will get up to a 30% discount if payments are made by February 29 and a 20% cut if bills are cleared by March.
