Bengaluru: Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) said Sunday it collected Rs 12.1 crore in dues from the first batch of 56,765 notices under its one-time settlement (OTS) scheme.Officials said this reflects a positive response from consumers willing to settle their water bill dues when offered a transparent and convenient option.The scheme, rolled out on April 6, has a three-month window.After reviewing legacy records, BWSSB identified more than 2.8 lakh eligible consumers out of more than 3.7 lakh cases. So far, more than 2.1 lakh customised notices have been printed and sent to sub-divisions for distribution across the city.In a release, BWSSB said it has outsourced printing to handle the large-scale rollout, with the agency producing about 50,000 notices every 48 hours. The remaining notices are expected to be distributed by May 10.Overall, BWSSB aims to recover more than Rs 471.5 crore in principal dues while offering a waiver of Rs 252.3 crore in interest, providing financial relief to the consumers.BWSSB chairman Ram Prasath Manohar said the response highlights public trust in citizen-friendly initiatives. “The encouraging initial response to the OTS scheme shows that when a transparent and respectful system is provided, consumers respond positively. We urge all eligible citizens to make use of this opportunity,” he said.The scheme is expected to ease financial stress on consumers while strengthening BWSSB’s revenue base and improving service delivery across Bengaluru.
