Ludhiana, June 10 -- An RTI reply has revealed that more than Rs.87 crore in water supply and sewerage user charges remained unpaid in municipal corporation Ludhiana's Zone D over the past five years, with over 56,000 consumers defaulting on payments. The figures, disclosed by the civic body's water supply and sewerage wing, highlight a substantial backlog in the recovery of civic dues.

The information was furnished in response to an RTI application filed in May by Arvind Sharma, an activist. The data reveals that over 56,000 consumers have defaulted on payment of user charges, with government offices also figuring among the defaulters.

Zone D is the first among the corporation's four zones to respond to the RTI query. Sharma, who sough...