Officials have been instructed not to collect revised rate

The city corporation has retained the old water tariff
of Rs. 660 a year for domestic connections, instead of the revised rate
of Rs. 2,100. The decision was taken at a meeting of the corporation on
Saturday, when all councillors, irrespective of their party
affiliations, insisted that the revised water tariff should not be
enforced.

D.N. Jagadish, Leader of the Opposition,
said the water tariff was enhanced from Rs. 660 a year to Rs. 2,100 when
D.V. Sadananda Gowda was Chief Minister. A few months ago, the Congress
councillors, led by Davangere MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa, had met
Mr. Gowda and appealed to him to withdraw the hike. Mr. Jagadish on
Saturday alleged that the corporation personnel were still collecting
the revised water tariff and urged the Mayor to instruct the officials
to collect the old rate only.

Mayor Sudha Jayarudresh
claimed that only old tariff was being collected. Shivanahalli Ramesh,
Congress councillor, said that he had received complaints from the
residents of SS Layout that they were being charged Rs. 2,100 a year.
Ms. Jayarudresh said that it had not come to her notice and asked
corporation Commissioner Prasanna Kumar to instruct the officials
concerned not to collect the new tariff. Ms. Jayarudresh said that the
corporation was spending about Rs. 11 crore annually on supply of
drinking water, the total receipts was only Rs. 2.5 crore.

Shivanahalli
Ramesh of the Congress urged the Mayor to get express power line for
the Rajanahalli pumphouse to ensure regular supply of water in
Davangere.

•  Water tariff had been hiked to Rs. 2,100 a year
• Demand to get express power line for Rajanahalli pumphouse