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No water tariff hike in Chandigarh this year: Mayor Sarabjit Kaur Dhillon
The Chandigarh administration on May 24 last year had stayed the hike in water tariff till March 31, 2022
Mayor Sarabjit Kaur Dhillon has assured that there would be no increase in the city’s water tariff in the coming fiscal.
Responding to the issue raised by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress councillors during the MC General House meeting on Monday, Dhillon, said, “I along with senior deputy mayor Daleep Sharma, deputy mayor and BJP state president Arun Sood met the UT administrator and requested that the tariff be kept the same.”
She further said, “If needed I would take along all 35 councillors to meet the administrator on this issue.”
The Chandigarh administration on May 24 last year had stayed the hike in water tariff till March 31, 2022. The order had come into effect prospectively, that is, from the date of issuance – May 25, 2021. The order covers the period from May 25, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
The charges were increased by 200 times in September 2020. The sewage cess was increased from 5% to 30% of the total water bill amount.
The administration’s decision to stall the water tariff hike came after the House had passed a resolution in October 2020, asking the administration to withdraw its September notification and stick to the existing rates till the pandemic is over.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had come under intense pressure after huge public outcry and criticism from the Opposition over the hike. The hike had also become an election issue during the last year’s MC elections. AAP had promised free water up to 20,000 litres per day, and Congress promised no increase in water tariff.
The MC collects ₹90 crore per annum as water charges, but the expenditure incurred to maintain supply to its 1.8 lakh consumers is ₹225 crore, said an official. Struggling to even pay salaries to its employees because of a severe financial crunch, the civic body was expected to earn an additional ₹60 crore from the hike.
Poor road work
On the allegations of poor quality of road repair and carpeting in different parts of the city, MC commissioner Anindita Mitra said, “I have given instructions to the engineering department that in case such an issue surfaces, the contractors should not only be penalized but also be blacklisted.”
Veterinary hospital
MC approved the ₹6 crore for construction of veterinary hospital, sick animal facility and animal birth control (ABC) centre. It also fixed the deadline for completion of work as March 31, 2023.
Protest against power privatisation
Protesting against the power privatisation, the AAP councillor Prem Lata stood in a protest carrying a placard even when the National Anthem was being played in the House. BJP councillor Maheshinder Singh Sidhu, said, “Such behaviour is not expected from an elected representative that too inside assembly hall.”
