Get water connection regularized by Dec 31 or face imprisonment

BENGALURU: Is your water connection registered and legal? If not, get it regularized before December 31. Else, the tap will go dry first, and then the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will lodge a criminal case that attracts imprisonment up to two-and-a-half years. Following a rap from the chief minister Siddaramaiah over the number of illegal connections in the city, BWSSB issued a circular on Monday asking people to get their water and sanitation connections regularized before December 31. The BWSSB has estimated 7.5 lakh illegal water connections in the city - almost equal the number of connections registered (7.5 lakh). As a result, 48 per cent of the 1300 million litres per day (MLD) of Cauvery water being drawn for the city is going unaccounted. According to the circular, continued violation will lead to filing of criminal cases that attract a minimum penalty of Rs 2,000 or an imprisonment up to two years and six months, or both depending on the level of irregularity. Though the board launched a drive in January this year and repeatedly urged people to get their water and sanitary connections regularized, there has been not much response. "From January 1, BWSSB staff will undertake door-to-door survey. Action will be taken against those having illegal connections as per Section 108 of BWSSB Act 1964, which attracts penalty, imprisonment or both," BWSSB official said. -TOI