Cuttack: Major industries and public sector undertakings (PSUs) that have been allowed to draw water from the Mahanadi and its tributaries in Odisha allegedly owe the state exchequer Rs 3,411 crore in water tax arrears.

The outstanding amount of 287 companies and PSUs has come into focus after the National Himan Rights Commission sought an action taken report from the state water resources department.

The commission took up the matter after receiving a complaint last month from Akhand, a member of Civil Society Forum on Human Rights. The state government had "miserably failed" to collect water tax arrears "due to negligence of the public authorities", Akhand alleged in the petition. "Such negligence of the public authority directly affected the development process of the state and that leads to violation of human rights of the citizen of the state," Akhand contended.

The complaint said, on the basis of government data: "A total number of 287 companies have not paid water tax to the state government. Total outstanding of water tax against these companies is Rs 3,411 crore".

"Non-payment of water tax by the companies has caused a colossal loss of Rs 3,411 crore to the state exchequer. If interest against pending amount is charged, it will be more than Rs 5,000 crore revenue loss to the state exchequer," the complaint said, alleging that water tax had not been collected for years.

Acting on the complaint, the commission has asked the water resources department secretary to file a response. The next hearing has been set for the second week of June. The commission said it expected a response by then along with an action taken report on the water tax arrears outstanding against companies and PSUs.

The commission also warned: "In case the report is not received within the stipulated time the commission shall be constrained to invoke coercive process under Section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act,1993, for personal appearance of the concerned authority."

While seeking the commission's direction for timely collection of water tax and action against erring officials, the complaint has alleged that "officers and engineers are hand in gloves with the defaulting companies and have been bribed heavily ".