Don’t pay to get water cleared

Don’t pay to get water cleared
The Times of India


Bangalore: Vehicle pumping charges: Rs 800 per hour; pump charges: Rs 600 per hour; charges to and from the fire station: Rs 25 per km.
That’s the bill the state-run Fire and Emergency Services has been slapping on hapless residents after clearing water from their houses. This, for a service the department proclaims is free!

The call to 101 may be free, but Bangaloreans discovered, much to their dismay, that the services are not. While miseries are on the rise after the deluge, fire department personnel are pumping up their price to take up cases “on priority’’.

Though the 2001 state government order allows the fire department to charge a “nominal sum’’ for pumping out water from commercial areas, residential apartments too are being charged a hefty sum. If that is not enough, some residents have been charged for getting rid of water on the road that runs parallel to their houses.

The bill given to Sai Teja Sherwood at KR Puram (copy available with The Times of India) reads: “As our fire and emergency service vehicle of Whitefield fire station has worked for two hours, 45 minutes, please pay the bill of Rs 3,800.’’

Building secretary Sarabpreet Singh said: “Flooding started in our apartment in the evening. We kept contacting the Fire Force till late in the night. They told us if our case has to be attended on priority, we have to pay them.’’ Residents in the layout had similar woes to narrate. Surprisingly, they were even charged for fuel — Rs 25 per km — higher than private city taxis too!

K Kumar, a resident of JP Nagar, said: “Each building was asked to pool in Rs 5,000. In all, we ended up paying Rs 25,000.’’
DGP (fire services) S Mariswamy had this to say: “We take up this work as community service. But residents who have been charged must send the receipts to me. We will refund the sum and take action against the guilty.’’