Nagpur: Acting tough, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has slapped a fine of Rs 4.4 lakh on Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (RJIL) for breaking a drinking water main pipeline. The civic body has also directed the company to pay for repairs of the pipeline and ensure restoration as soon as possible.
According to reports, the damage to the pipeline caused huge loss of potable drinking water as well as affected supply to the majority of South-West Nagpur for over two days. Also, RJIL had laid cables on a narrow internal road of Adhyapak Layout without proper permissions.
Subsequently, the Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B directed officials to verify terms and conditions and initiate necessary action. The officials of NMC Hotmix Department, which gives permission to lay cables, informed that a fine of Rs 4.4 lakh has been imposed on RJIL. The company has also been directed to pay expenditure incurred on repair of the pipeline, reports said.
Notably, the West Nagpur MLA Vikas Thakre had demanded NMC should register FIR with police as destruction of pipeline was damage to public property and impacted essential service. NMC has not yet started levying daily fines on RJIL for delay in completing the works. The telecommunication company was supposed to complete the works within three months from October 29, 2021. However, work at a few sites is still incomplete. As per terms and conditions of permission, NMC is supposed to recover the daily fine for the delay.