Do not collect more than Rs 1000 for water connections: Madras High Court

MADURAI: Madras High Court has ruled that panchayat Presidents should not collect more Rs 1,000 for providing water connections to houses, as per a Government Order.

Justice R Mahadevan disposing a PIL filed by residents of Silukkuvarpatti Panchayat in Dindigul district, said that as per the G.O. the amount to be paid by each of the petitioners for getting water connections was Rs 1,000.

Hence the panchayat should collect the amount as deposit from each of them and thereafter on payment of incidental expenditure, connection should be provided.

The petitioners submitted that 5000 persons who live in the village are daily wage earners. The Panchayat president had issued notice to get water connection by paying Rs 5,000 in each house.

He had also threatened to disconnect supply to 15 street pipes used by them. As per G.O. only Rs 1000 should be collected.

The petitioners said they made representation to the President along with Rs 1000 cash,but had not received a reply nor been given water connection. Then they took it up with the Dindigul District Collector and Block Development Officer, but this too did not yield any results.

So they moved court, with a prayer to intervene and direct the president to provide water connection by accepting Rs.1000 as deposit.