Guwahati’s vanishing water meters test public patience

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: What began as a few isolated incidents has now turned into an exasperating urban nuisance — thieves in Guwahati are stealing water meters straight off people’s supply lines. It’s not the kind of crime that grabs headlines, but for those affected, it has become a recurring nightmare exposing a deeper malaise: petty thefts continue unchecked, and the system meant to stop them seems stuck in neutral.

Across several neighbourhoods, residents have been waking up to find their Guwahati Jal Board (GJB) water meters — the small brass and copper devices that measure household consumption — ripped out of the ground. The reason is depressingly simple: the metal inside fetches a few hundred rupees in the scrap market. Yet, replacing the stolen unit costs homeowners anywhere between Rs 6,000 and Rs 8,000, as it includes a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) and a strainer.

“It’s absurd,” said a resident from Silpukhuri who recently lost his meter. “We spend thousands to replace what they sell for Rs 600 to Rs 800. Complaints have been filed, CCTV footage given, but they’re still roaming free. If no proper action is taken, this will only spread further.”

Indeed, the thefts have not slowed despite their meagre payoff. From Chandmari to Beltola, residents report similar stories — broken connections, disrupted supply, and no accountability. Many now say their frustration lies less with the thieves than with the inaction that follows.

The Guwahati Jal Board acknowledges the problem but insists its hands are tied. “Once the connection is installed, the meter becomes the customer’s responsibility,” a GJB official told this reporter. “We’ve advised people to secure meters in iron cages, but thieves are clever — many are drug addicts looking for quick cash. We’ve informed the police too.”

But those reassurances offer little comfort. Even encased meters have been targeted, leaving homeowners to bear both the cost and the inconvenience. Meanwhile, the police cite manpower shortages and limited leads, saying such petty thefts are hard to monitor in real time.

Adding to the public’s resentment is the opaque handling of recovered stolen goods. Once seized, some items are auctioned off — but where the proceeds go remains murky. “Nothing ever comes back to the people who were robbed,” said another resident. “It just vanishes into paperwork.”

The issue has become symbolic of a larger failure — small crimes that no one takes seriously until they snowball into a crisis of trust. For now, Guwahati’s residents continue to guard their water meters like valuables — a sad reflection of a city where even the tools meant to measure life’s most basic resource aren’t safe anymore.

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