Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board (HMWSSB) officials have adopted a new method of harassing consumers by invoking the Revenue Recovery Act to seize their moveable and immoevable assets, if a consumer fails to pay the water bill.
The water board officials are bulldozing into the common man’s house and creating a scene in the name of invoking Revenue Recovery Act against defaulters.
This has resulted in panic among consumers in areas that have witnessed such high-handedness. Distress consumers alleged that the water board officials had been using the Act in a questionable and highly objectionable manner.
Interestingly, these ‘defaulters’ had also paid the interest on arrears, as demanded by the Water Board.
One of the victims confirmed that they had cleared their bills long time ago, but still officials are creating havoc. An online check suggested that all the three persons labelled ‘defaulters’ had actually no dues pending against their respective CAN numbers.
Water Board chief vigilance officer A Pradeep Reddy said that vigilance department only followed orders from the higher-ups and added that they were not aware of the bill status of the defaulters in question.