HDMC Officials Grilled Over Rs 140 Crore Pending Water Bills

Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) officials faced criticism from corporators over their lack of clarity on collecting Rs 140 crore in pending water bills and failure to revise the city limits for a 24×7 drinking water project.

During the discussion on the budget for drinking water supply in Hubballi-Dharwad on Thursday, concerns were raised that 200 square kilometers might miss out on the water project. Former mayor Iresh Anchatgeri urged officials to prioritize collecting dues from government agencies and educational institutions rather than burdening the general public.

HDMC commissioner Ishwar Ullagaddi assured that action would target commercial connections with larger bill amounts first, followed by domestic connections. A public awareness campaign would precede the initiative. BJP member Veeranna Savadi objected to identifying only 220 sq km for the project, highlighting the expanded city limits of over 400 sq km.

Members also raised issues with the quality of pipelines laid by L&T Company, demanding Rs 300 crore for road restoration. The budget, presented by Mallikarjun Gundur, proposed collecting Rs 63.63 crore from water bills, Rs 64.71 crore from the State government for the 24×7 project, with a total projected revenue of Rs 268.34 crore, including the Rs 140 crore pending bills. The estimated spending was Rs 278.99 crores, resulting in a surplus budget of Rs 2.81 crore.

The budget aimed to raise awareness and collect pending water bills through an NGO, involving the regularization of over 30,000 illegal water connections with L&T’s assistance.

Plans were outlined to enhance the water supply system with sufficient pressure in Hubballi-Dharwad. Overall, officials faced scrutiny over bill collection strategies, project limitations, and concerns about infrastructure quality, while corporators urged prioritizing accountability and public welfare.