Mangaluru: Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner S Ajith Kumar Hegde said the corporation had collected only Rs 9.8 crore as against the annual target of Rs 35 crore in water bills.

Hegde told reporters that water bills to the tune of Rs 16 crore remained pending from many years.

The commissioner requested water consumers to pay the water bills promptly in order to avoid disconnection.

“We will initiate action as per the rules to disconnect water supply connections in case of failure to pay bills. Teams have been constituted to recover the pending amount and also to check illegal water supply connections. Those who have obtained illegal water connections should submit applications to regularise their connections,” he added.

Water consumers in the city can pay bills online. A water adalat will be held at the MCC premises on October 14, to set right the anomalies in the water bills.

The commissioner warned of initiating action against apartment owners who pump sewage into stormwater drains in the city limits.

The release of rain water into the stormwater drains and UGD systems is damaging the UGD lines. The apartment owners and commercial buildings should have facility for harvesting the rain water, he added.