The mobile court drives in the last seven and a half months helped Wasa reduce pilferage of water in the name of "system loss" by 40 to 50 per cent when the city dwellers hailed the authorities for ensuring normal supply of water to them.

The mobile court also realised over Tk 80 lakh of outstanding bills, they said.

Chittagong Wasa has capacity to produce some 180 Million Litre a Day (MLD) against the demand of around 500 MLD, causing water crisis throughout the year in the port city.

The crisis worsened further as Wasa had failed to check pilferage of water through illegal connection and unauthorised deep tube-wells that caused fall in the ground water level, sources said.

The Wasa on different occasions expressed its vow to launch a crackdown on the illegal practice exercised in connivance with a section of its dishonest officials and staffs.

But, nothing could be done in this regard until a mobile court launched a drive titled "Operation Save Wasa" on November 30, 2006.

The drive led by Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Magistrate Mohammad Munir Chowdhury had succeeded in checking in pilferage of water and malpractice in distribution.

The mobile court has so far realised around Tk 4 crore as fine and compensation for pilfering Wasa water through fraudulence and irregularities like illegal connection and meter tampering.

It also realised Tk 1.35 crore as revenue evaded through illegal installation of deep tube-wells, said the sources.

At the same time the court has realised Tk 81 lakh of the outstanding bills.

The court disconnected over 70 illegal connections of different commercial and industrial firms and convicted 76 influential people for illegal practices.

The court also arrested 118 people, including owners and senior officials of industries, commercial buildings, hotels and restaurants, on charge of water pilferage.

Wasa officials said apart from realising the outstanding bills of years, the regular collection of revenues has increased following the punitive measures by the mobile court.

The court also recommended stern action against a number of Wasa officials and employees, mostly working in the field level, to stop illegal practice, said Magistrate Munir Chowdhury on Monday.

He said he would continue the drive against the pilferers of water and tax evaders without fear or favour.

The mobile court on July 12 fined an industrial unit Tk 17.75 lakh for pilfering around 10 crore litres of water and evading tax.

It unearthed the pilferage of water at Messers Synthetic Resin Products Limited, an industrial unit, of which Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCC) President Saifuzzaman Chowdhury is one of the directors.

The court also found a huge stock of 30,000 gallons of Wasa supplied water in an overhead tank of the unit.

The court also unearthed several incidents of revenue evasion of Tk 18.16 lakh by an industrial unit and four apartments on July 15 and 16.

The industrial units are Chittagong Dying and Printing Limited at Pahartali Sagorika Road and four multi-storied apartments -- Salam Heights, Equity Sylvestra, Equity Insignia and MHL Meridian, in the city's posh Khulshi area.

The court directed them to pay Tk 25.94 lakh as revenue, fine and compensation.