The court in a drive in Nasirabad Industrial Area found that Yakub Oil Refinery is only paying Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) Tk 1100 to Tk 6000 per month against the several lakhs of litres of Wasa water it uses in two separate units, by showing the meter out of order.

Ruby Food Products of the same area was found showing the meter out of order and paying only Tk 318 per month for the huge quantity of water it used.

The court in another drive in Bayezid area found two garment factories and a washing plant using huge quantity of Wasa water for industrial purposes but paying an average monthly bill of Tk 200 to Tk 300 since 2001.

The mobile court asked Chittagong Wasa to take necessary actions to realise the dues after assessing the amount of tax the firms evaded by means of fraudulence.

The court also detected several illegal hydrants (water-supply lines) that different hotels, restaurants and commercial firms used for collecting Wasa water depriving the authorities of a huge of revenue.

It disconnected the hydrants, seized GI pipes and directed Wasa for taking stern actions against the officials and employees responsible.

Our Correspondent in Chittagong adds: The same mobile court in a drive on Sunday fined two commercial establishments Tk 4.25 lakh and directed Chittagong Wasa to take necessary actions against four others for pilfering Wasa water and evading tax by setting up deep tube-wells and tampering meters at Jalalabad.

The court in a drive at Kulgaon-Jalalabad area beside Chittagong-Hathazari road fined Super Refinery and a commercial firm owned by Haji Shafi Sawdagar, that provided space for raising commercial buildings, Tk 4.25 lakh.

Wasa was asked to take actions against N Fashion Limited, Arabi Industries Limited, Mi Denis Limited and Apparel Promoters Limited.

Chittagong Port Authority Magistrate Mohammad Munir Chowdhury, who is also serving as the Wasa magistrate as an addition duty, led the drives.