The municipal corporation has turned down the corporators’ demand to give a 15 per cent concession in water bills because it has imposed 15 per cent water cut.
The civic administration said such concession was not feasible.
At the standing committee meeting on Thursday, the administration said it has spent more than Rs 330 crore to augment the water supply in areas at the end of the distribution system since 15 per cent cut was announced. Mumbai is facing a 15 per cent water cut because of the delayed and scanty monsoon last year.
The corporators reasoned that concessions should be given in water bills from the new financial year — April 2010 — as people were getting less water with the cuts in place. “If they are getting 15 per cent less water then they should pay less,” said Rahul Shewale, chairman of the standing committee.
“But giving the concession will add a burden of Rs 250 crore on the municipal body, which at this point cannot be considered,” said a civic official.
The corporation charges Rs 2.25 per 1,000 litre from the residential users and Rs 3.50 per 1,000 litre from users living in slums.
{{/usCountry}}The corporation charges Rs 2.25 per 1,000 litre from the residential users and Rs 3.50 per 1,000 litre from users living in slums.
{{/usCountry}}The BMC earns around Rs 780 crore per annum as water charges of which 60 per cent revenue comes from commercial users and the rest from residential consumers.
The matter was not discussed in the standing committee as the meeting got adjourned.