90 households at Japan Garden City can’t cook food after Titas cuts connections

Photo: TBS

Highlights

• 300-400 customers' Tk61 lakh gas bill was due, Titas says
• Flat owners said they gave the bills to Japan Garden in time
• The payment were paid to Titas after the connections-cut
• Now, Tk1.61 lakh fined for reinstalling gas-risers

Afsana Akther has been living in an apartment of 11 number building at the capital's Japan Garden City. She pays all the utility bills in time. However, on Wednesday, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company cut the gas connection to her flat, citing due bills.

This put Afsana in a fix. "The authorities of the housing project (Japan Garden City Limited) collect our gas bill and we are a compliant customer," she said. "All of our bills were cleared and we have receipts from the Japan Garden City," she told The Business Standard on Friday, venting her outrage.

She was seen to bring her food cooked in another apartment at the neighbouring building.

Afsana's family is one of the 90 households who became the victims of gas connection loss at the Garden. The Japan Garden City Limited, the builder and managing authorities of the housing project, collects utility bills including those of electricity and gas from around 1,600 families living in 21 buildings there, on permissions from the utility service providers.

"All the connections to our building were cut despite payment of bills. Titas Gas authorities took away gas-risers. We have talked to the central authorities of the Garden, but they are yet to find the solutions," said SM Moniruzzaman, president of the Building-11 Flat Owners' Association.

There are many children, old people and some SSC candidates living in the building. "Their sufferings know no bounds," he added.

This correspondent talked to 20 victims there; all of them came up with the same complaints – they paid their gas bills in time but lost connections. They said the Japan Garden City provided them with its receipts.

Visiting the residential area on Friday, many were seen going outside to have their meals. Besides, many were found moving from one to another flat for cooking their foods. Frustration gripped their faces. Many of them even do not know when the problem will be solved.

The residents said Titas Gas warned of cutting more connections in the area. A resident of the building-11 told The Business Standard that they paid their due bills but the Japan Garden might not have submitted it to Titas.

"Titas official came to our building and warned of cutting connections soon," he said, blaming the Japan Garden authorities for this.

A Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company official, seeking anonymity, said about 300-400 customers owed Tk61 lakh to them in gas bills.

The bills were not paid even after serving several notices. "Titas cut the connections as part of its regular move to ensure timely bill payment," he added.

The official further said that Japan Garden City Managing Director Wahiduzzaman paid the bill after the line was cut. "We will look into other matters on Sunday," he added.

Wahiduzzaman could not be reached after several phone calls till filing the report Friday night.

Meanwhile, Maintenance Manager of Japan Garden City Sayed Jamal told The Business Standard that the incidents of cutting connections occurred due to a misunderstanding.

"We paid all the bills on 9 November, but Titas cut the connections on 17 November based on its documents of 7 November," he claimed.

He, however, hinted that grouping among the members of the flat owners' association there might be a reason behind the incident. "Hopefully, all will get the connections on Sunday," he added.

Meanwhile, Japan Garden City Flat Owners Association General Secretary Shahidul Islam told The Business Standard that the Garden authorities paid all the due bills on Wednesday immediately after the incident but there remained another issue for which they did not get the connections.

"Titas fined Tk1.61 lakh for reinstalling 18 gas-risers, of which the authorities were ignorant. The payment will be cleared on Sunday," he explained, adding that the customers have to wait until the day.

He hoped that no connection would be cut further soon.