Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

Hike in water charges justified

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD May 31. Two City Ministers -- K. Vijayarama Rao and T. Srinivas Yadav -- and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) Managing Director, M.G. Gopal, on Friday, justified the increase in water charges and claimed that the hike was not steep and not more than the charges collected in other metropolitan cities.

``In fact, what is sought to be realised from people is what people in other municipalities are already paying at a flat rate since two years,'' Mr. Vijayarama Rao asserted at a press conference. He said that the increased revenue to the water board ranged from Rs. 8.7 crores to Rs. 13.5 crores. Of the 3.77 lakh consumers, 2.6 lakh paid only Rs. 55 as minimum charges along with Rs. 74 as sewerage charges.

The Minister stated that the increase should have been effected three years ago, but the board did not go ahead as it wanted to improve the distribution network as well as water availability to people before going in for an increase. The board had increased supply to the City from 145 million gallons per day (MGD) to 162 MGD, after utilising Rs. 30 crores provided by the Government, the Minister claimed. This project cost Rs.150 crores, of which Rs. 120 crores was the loan component from the HUDCO. The improvement in water distribution cost Rs. 25 crores, of which the Government had allocated Rs. 10 crores, he said.

Mr. Gopal said that most of the water meters were not working. Replying to a question, the Minister warned of initiating action against board officials if they collected charges from consumers for non-supply of water and for non-metered supply. Referring to the Krishna water diversion work, the Minister said that the tenders submitted were being re-evaluated.

CPI (M) dharna

Meanwhile, activists of the CPI (M) staged a dharna at the office of the water board in Secunderabad, demanding withdrawal of the proposed hike in charges. They regretted that the Government was more interested in making available ``bar and beer'', while denying water to people. They warned of intensifying the agitation if the Government did not withdraw the move to hike water charges.

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