Chandigarh MC election: AAP promises 20,000 litre free water every month

Aam Aadmi Party promised to provide 20,000 litre free water to each household every month besides ensuring 24/7 supply without putting any additional tax burden on citizens

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday promised to provide 20,000 litre free water to each household every month besides ensuring 24/7 supply without putting any additional tax burden on citizens if elected to power in the upcoming municipal elections in Chandigarh.

AAP leaders addressing a press conference ahead of the Chandigarh MC election. (HT Photo)

Addressing a press conference, the party’s Chandigarh in-charge and Delhi MLA Jarnail Singh said: “Under the first guarantee of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, 20,000 litres of clean and free water will be provided to the residents of the city per month.”

Elaborating on the promise, Prem Garg, party’s city convener, said: “For every household in the city, the MC will not charge anything for the first 20,000 litre per month if AAP comes to power.”

When asked how the party will manage to do it at a time when the MC is incurring around ₹96 crore losses in water supply, Garg said: “Around 45% of water is being wasted. We will save this water and regularise illegal water connections outside the lal dora.”

AAP election campaign committee chairman Chandramukhi Sharma said: “The BJP has failed to provide adequate water to the city residents despite a surplus.” Sharma said the daily per capita water consumption in the city is 245 litres, as compared to the national average of 135 litres per head.

“This indicates the city has surplus water... then why is the government charging three times the cost and where is the surplus water going from the city?” he said, while demanding an inquiry into this “matter of concern”.

The MC is expected to launch the 24x7 water supply project next month. Funded by the European Union and French government, the ₹500 crore project includes a soft loan of ₹413 that is to be repaid in 15 years. According to MC officials, the project implementation will require mandatory increase in water tariff.