Gurgaon's DLF Phase 1 residents plan HC move, property tax boycott over water shortage

Residents of DLF Phase 1 are planning to file a petition in the Punjab and Haryana high court against Huda and MCG over an acute water shortage that has forced new Gurgaon areas to be reliant on tankers for over two weeks. 

Several areas, including DLF phases 1, 2 and 3, Sushant Lok 1 and 3, sectors 4, 5, 7, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 54, 55 and 56, have been hit by the shortfall. "There has been a constant decrease in water supply for the last 15 days. I don't think Huda has any infrastructure to regularise power supply to the water treatment plants," said Suresh Kaushik, a resident of Sector 54. 

While residents of DLF Phase I are planning to file a petition in the high court, some residents in Huda sectors have decided to not pay property tax to MCG as a form of protest. 

"We have already prepared a petition and are in the process of filing it in the high court," said Satishan, an advocate and resident of DLF Phase 1. "Civic authorities in the city have failed to provide one of the most basic needs to the residents. Our petition is against Huda for not having adequate infrastructure to supply water; MCG for charging residents taxes but not delivering services; and the office of the deputy commissioner for not addressing our complaints against Huda and MCG," he said. 

Those living in Huda sectors also expressed helplessness. "While residents in DLF and Sushant Lok at least have some mechanism to store water, we are totally dependent on storage tanks, and sometimes RWAs, for providing water," said Vijay Rajani, a resident of Sector 55. "In such a scenario, we can only stop paying property tax to the corporation so that they feel a pinch and at least do something to improve water distribution infrastructure in the city," he said. 

Huda officials have, meanwhile, claimed that voltage fluctuation at Basai and Chandu Budhera water treatment plants is responsible for the water shortage. 

A Huda official, requesting anonymity, said, "There have been 30 power cuts in the last 12 days at the Basai treatment plant, which supplies water to more than 60% of the city. We are facing similar issues at the Chandu Budhera plant. We have already written to the state authorities to fix the issue". 

SOURCE: ETRealty.com