HYDERABAD: With large number of complaints that meter readers of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) not visiting houses regularly, the Board has engaged the services of private agencies to cross-check the functioning of meter readers.As part of the pilot project, the Water Board has selected private agencies for two localities of LB Nagar and Jubilee Hills to randomly collect the Billing Field Audit details of water consumers.Speaking to Express, HMWS&SB officials said the decision to randomly collect billing field audit details of consumers was taken after receiving many complaints from consumers that water bills were being generated without actual visit of meter readers. To crosscheck this, the Water Board has randomly generated 10 percent Consumer Account Numbers (CANs) of these two localities and handed over the same to private agencies to verify the claims.The agencies have already started collecting the billing details of the houses and sending them to the central server of the HMWS&SB head office. Officials began cross-checking the data fed by agencies with data submitted by meter readers. They found after matching details of the private agencies and meter readers, gaps in readings of water consumption by households.During field auditing by agencies, consumers complained that despite being present at their home, no monthly bills were issued to them. When they enquired into the issue, they were informed that bills could not be issued as their house was locked, which only exposed the fact that some meter readers were not visiting the houses to take readings.Water Board officials said if meter readers were found not performing their duties, the Board will take action against erring meter readers. If the pilot study gives positive results, the model would be replicated in all divisions in a phased manner.
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