Water theft scam involving businesses busted in Surat

A shocking water theft scam was busted by SMC officials in Jalaram Industrial Estate in Pandesara on Tuesday. Officials detected illegal water connections from main pipeline, which were used by industries in the estate. Heavy fine has been slapped on all those units which were using water unlawfully.

According to sources, officials of South zone received information that industries in Jalaram Industrial Estate at Pandesara were stealing water from SMC pipeline. Civic officials raided the estate and were shocked to find 14 water connections illegally joined with the main pipeline of SMC.

These connections were of two inch size and water was being used by 25 industrial units in the estate. This is for the first time when illegal water connections in such numbers have been detected in the South zone.

Officials sealed all illegal connections and issued notices to industrial units. Sources said that civic councillor and ex-water committee chairman of SMC, Ramesh Patel, was also having one such illegal connection.

Officials also summoned plumber Prakash Rajwada, who helped in fixing these illegal connections for industries.

“The main 400 mm pipeline has been laid recently and entire road was dug up in the process. As the soil was soft, these units took advantage and took illegal connections.
We have decided to impose heavy fines of between Rs40,000-50,000 on each  industrial unit, and collect charges for the water they have used till now,” Mahesh Singh, deputy commissioner and head of south zone, said.