Pimpri: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is planning to collect 1.5 times more water tax from residents of  constructions from April 1. The policy was recently approved by the PCMC General Body.  

According to the proposal, penalties will  be charged for regularisation of  water connection in unauthorised construction with penalties on water tax i.e. 1.5 times more on the normal water tax.  For the regularisation of these structures, owners will have to apply before June 30. 

The civic body has regularised 4,000 water connections in unauthorised constructions built before March 31, 2012. But there was no policy for regularisation. Residents of these buildings use PCMC’s water, but there is no audit for the usage. The State government has prepared a policy for regularisation of unauthorised construction  done till December 31, 2015. The implementation of this policy will start from April 1. 

The PCMC distributes around 500 MLD water per day. But it is not getting water tax on more than 40 per cent of the water. The PCMC is implementing the 24x7 water supply scheme and connections will be regularised. For this, the PCMC has chalked out a new policy.