Chennai: Residents of Ambattur and nearby areas in the city have been trying to work their heads round on how to tackle the Infrastructure and Development Charges (IDC) levied by Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) for many months now.
The issue is that IDC has to be paid by building promoters who construct apartments within Corporation limits.
However, since Ambattur came under the Corporation’s jurisdiction only in 2011, flat owners are now being forced into paying the hefty charges that amount up to Rs two lakh to avail sewage connections.
However, it seems that the government has taken the side of the people and decided that they pay the amount in instalments.
President of Thiruvengada Nagar Residents Welfare Association, S Suresh, said,”It is a welcome move by the government. Ambattur as a whole was waiting for this to happen. Now, we residents have one less thing to worry about.”
Suresh said due to people not being able to afford the amount, as most families in the area run on a monthly salary, they simply had to let sewage into SWDs which in turn pollutes Ambattur lake.
Although residents have welcomed the move, it doesn’t get the approval of every individual.
A few residents stated that IDC is plain day-light robbery because it is collected even after connection charges have been made. They say with the property tax hike among others, things are getting unaffordable at the moment.
However, the beneficiary in this issue when solved will be the environment which was facing the brunt of spat between the public and the authorities.