PHED to follow footsteps of Power Dept, tax drive soon
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 21 2012: Just as Electricity Department has conducted drive to collect taxes from its consumers, the Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) is all set to launch similar tax collection drive from the public for using potable treated water.

According to information obtained from PHED, the people of the state are using water from PHED supplied through underground water pipes.

However, the people who are getting regular supply of treated water from PHED are not paying taxes on regular basis.

So, PHED will be taking up stringent measures to increase the revenue of the department by collecting taxes from consumers just like the Electricity department is doing.

It is said that almost all the residents of Imphal city are being provided treated water by PHED through underground water pipes.

Although the consumers are liable to pay taxes to the department, they seldom come forward to clear their pending taxes and at the same time the department does not pay attention to collection of taxes from the public as it is not able to provide sufficient amount of water to the consumers.

Moreover, the people of the state illegally bore holes in the underground water pipes and fetched water in that manner.

This not only lead to wastage of water provided by the department but also poses serious threats to the health of the people as the holes made in the water pipes are not mended properly and germs easily go into the pipe.

During the proposed drive of PHED, households engaged in illegal connection of water pipes by drilling holes in the underground water pipes would be arrested, imposed fine and punished according to the law of the land.

Sources in PHED explained that collection of taxes in rural areas is very difficult since the people do not have water pipe connection directly to their homes.

They use water from public hydrants and as such, they do not pay taxes.

Meanwhile, according to the census report of 2012, 25.6 percent of the total 507152 households in the state are using treated water.

These include 52 percent of the total 111393 households in Imphal West, 31.8 percent of the total 91806 households in Imphal East, 28.4 percent of the total 44891 households in Bishnupur, 13.2 percent of the total 35790 households in Ukhrul, 5.6 percent of the total 29097 households in Chandel, 12.3 percent of the total 34487 households in Senapati, 8.6 percent of the total 24477 households in Tamenglong and 11.0 percent of the total 49916 households in Churachandpur district.

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