No hike in water charges

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided not to increase water charges for Mumbai following directions from the chief minister. The proposed hike in charges was opposed by the Congress and the Samajwadi Party.

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided not to increase water charges for Mumbai, following directions issued by chief minister Eknath Shinde to municipal commissioner I S Chahal.

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The civic body had proposed to increase water charges by 8% per year by passing a resolution in 2012, and the general body was given full rights. The hydraulic engineer had also sent a proposal to increase charges for 2023-24, which was sent to Chahal. BMC gets its water supply from Tansa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Bhatsa, Vehar and Tulsi lakes, and around 3950 million litres of water is purified at Pise, Yewai and Bhandup complexes. The proposed hike in water charges would cover increased costs of purification, maintenance of dams, electric charges and establishment charges.

But the hike in charges was opposed by the Congress and the Samajwadi Party.

“They have already been ruling by appointing administrators and are now set to increase the water tariff by 8%. This increase is proposed from 25 paise to 6 rupees per thousand litres. We strongly oppose it,” Varsha Gaikwad, president, Mumbai Regional Congress Committee, had said.

Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh had written to Chahal, urging that the proposal for hiking water tariff be sent back. He had said that since the BMC did not have any general body, it was not appropriate to sanction the proposal. Eventually, the chief minister asked the commissioner not to raise charges as it affected all.

Soon after the decision to not hike water charges announced, Gaikwad welcomed the move. “Mumbai Congress will continue to oppose such unjust price hike for the betterment of Mumbaikars. It is expected that the corporation should not take any policy decisions on issues related to common Mumbaikars without consulting people’s representatives or taking them into confidence,” she said.