The Punjab Government has notified a voluntary disclosure scheme (VDS) for consumers having unapproved water connections in the rural areas. Under this scheme, the Water Supply and Sanitation Department offers an opportunity to consumers for voluntary disclosure and free of cost regularisation of their unapproved connection.

As per the policy, no charges will be taken from the consumers for the previous usage of water, if any.

Razia Sultana, Water Supply and Sanitation Minister, said this scheme would be formally launched on Monday and the last date to apply under the voluntary disclosure scheme would be July 15.

The minister said the department had planned to conduct third-party comprehensive household survey of all rural households in Punjab from July onwards.

During the survey, if any consumer was found with unapproved connection after the closure of the voluntary disclosure scheme, the connection would be snapped and charges would be collected from the guilty for unapproved usage of water.