RAWALPINDI:
The Punjab government has also become a defaulter to its subordinate institutions for non-payment of dues.
The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has released a list of water and sewerage defaulters, which includes several government institutions. WASA has issued notices to these institutions to recover dues amounting to Rs86,638,494.
The agency has announced that water supply connections will be disconnected, and sewerage services will be suspended for those who fail to pay their dues. The defaulter institutions, include Punjab Police, Income Tax, WAPDA, Election Commission, Metro Bus Service, Municipal Corporation, Education, and Health Department, among others.
The defaulters include Punjab House Rawalpindi, which owes Rs1,377,761. The Building Department has been identified as a defaulter for Rs3,247,336 , while police stations in Rawalpindi owe Rs1,253,999. The Health Department has outstanding dues amounting to Rs9,138,711 .
The Metro Bus Service has failed to pay dues of Rs1,652,374 and the Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi has been found to owe Rs32,800,000. The Income Tax Department has outstanding dues of Rs354,000, WAPDA has dues of Rs1,315,000 to pay, the Education Department owes WASA Rs10,348,517, PTCL has dues of Rs732,442, and the Election Commission has to pay Rs69,679 outstanding.
The Excise and Taxation Department owes Rs49,502, the Sports Board has dues of Rs2,543,602 and the Punjab Cooperative Department has to pay Rs41,118. The Social Welfare and Baitul Maal Department has to pay Rs52,997. The Rawalpindi Development Authority owes Rs2,635,407. The Parks and Horticulture Authority has to pay WASA Rs19,352,493 while the Public Health Engineering Department needs to pay Rs24,301. The Rawalpindi Press Club owes Rs227,481.
The Regional Transport Authority has an outstanding due of Rs218,762. The Housing Department owes Rs286,499 and the Forest Department has to pay Rs290,588.
WASA Managing Director, Muhammad Saleem Ashraf, said that a vigorous crackdown has been started against all defaulting institutions. If they do not pay their dues, their water supply connections will be cut off and sewage services will be suspended.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2024.
