There is always substantial gap between fact and fiction. On the one hand the state and the Central government is insisting on cashless transactions but it seems they forgot to inform some their own departments of their intention. The PWD delays issuing payment receipts if the customer has paid by cheaque.
If the consumer wishes to pay the amount by crossed cheque in favour of the Executive Engineer Division XX at PWD Bansai-Curchorem office, they collect the cheque and take the customer signature on their office register and call them after three days to collect the payment receipt and sometimes even later. This they claimed was due to having just one person handling this particular work.
When contacted, the Assistant Engineer at his Bansai office Anandu Naik admitted and explained the difficulties faced by them in issuing the receipt immediately as they had to deposit the cheques along with challan at Quepem bank which takes three days for clearance.
“I need time to study the issue and will definitely consult my higher ups and also will see what other government departments are doing if they accept payments in cheques as to give solace to the customers.” assured Naik.
As per the information given by the office, PWD has signed the agreements with 5 co-operative banks/societies to accept the water tariff bills at Curchorem and other branches at Collem, Dabal, Quepem and Sancorda so that residents can pay their bills at their nearest branch if paid by cash otherwise to pay by cheque one has to come to visit to their office at Bansai in Curchorem.
Customers have to struggle to pay up their water bills fearing that it might be get accumulated into huge unpaid bills. AE Naik says that there is no need to pay it only in the banks or at the office as there is another option to pay it online but people say that if they paid online and it did not reflect in their local records , it would require them to contact the local office for rectification.
Quepem Citizen Committee President Evangelist D’Costa criticised the lethargic attitude of the PWD officials and said the people from Quepem earlier too were travelling to Curchorem to pay the water tariff but now the local co-operative bank is accepting the payments but on condition the customer had to buy a share and become a member of the bank or to open an account.
