Chandigarh Water Supply Scam: 33 crores liters missing, MC faces massive revenue loss
Ramesh Goyat
Chandigarh, March 16, 2025 – A shocking revelation has emerged regarding the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation's water supply and billing system.
An audit report has found that in 2023-24, a staggering 33.34 crore liters of water were supplied but not billed, leading to huge revenue losses for the corporation.The missing water raises serious concerns about leakages, illegal connections, and billing irregularities.
This information was brought to light by RTI activist R.K. Garg, who exposed the massive discrepancies through documents obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The municipal body has yet to provide any explanation for the missing water or the unbilled revenue.
Key Findings from the RTI Report
- Total water supplied in 2023-24: 198.05 crore liters
- Billed water: 164.70 crore liters
- Unbilled/missing water: 33.34 crore liters
RTI activist R.K. Garg has questioned the Municipal Corporation’s incompetence and lack of accountability, stating that this negligence is not only worsening Chandigarh’s water crisis but also causing significant financial losses.
Major Questions Raised
? Where did 33 crore liters of water go?
? Was it lost due to leakages or siphoned off through illegal connections?
? What is the actual number of non-metered connections in the city?
? Why has the Municipal Corporation remained silent on this issue?
Revenue Loss to Municipal Corporation
Had the missing 33 crore liters of water been billed properly, the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation would have earned crores of rupees in revenue. Instead, due to irregularities, the city’s finances have taken a major hit.
Where Did the Missing Water Go?
- The audit report does not clearly state where the 33 crore liters of missing water ended up, but there are a few possible reasons:
- Leakages in pipelines – Chandigarh's aging pipeline system has numerous leaks, causing large-scale water wastage.
- Illegal and non-metered connections – Many residential and commercial properties operate without proper water meters, leading to untracked consumption.
- Faulty water meters – Several meters fail to record usage correctly or are deliberately tampered with.
- Billing irregularities – Errors and inefficiencies in the Municipal Corporation’s water billing system contribute to underreporting of consumption.
Municipal Corporation’s Response: Silence!
Despite the audit report’s findings, the Municipal Corporation has not taken any concrete action or provided any explanation for the missing water.The lack of accountability raises concerns over administrative inefficiencies and potential corruption.
What’s Next?
- Mandatory installation of water meters across the city
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- Pipeline repair and leak detection drive
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- Transparent digital metering and billing system
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- Strict action against illegal connections