The Times of India 09.11.2013
Sewage management charge adds to residents' budgets
KOLHAPUR: First, an increase in water tax. Now, a sewage management charge. Residents of the city, who are already finding it difficult to keep pace with soaring vegetable prices, are now forced to revisit their monthly budget plans.
The residents will receive the water tax bills with an added 10% sewage management tax for the last six months.
The Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to impose the sewage management tax from June and the amount will be added to the water tax bills.
"The consumers get the water tax bills every two months. They will receive the bills with the increased water tax and the sewage management tax for the last six months. The amount will be added to the water bills for the months of September and October," KMC water superintendent Prashant Pandat said.
The KMC is implementing such a tax for the first time to compensate the treatment charges of the sewage generated and maintenance of the treatment plants.
"The revenue collected through the sewage management tax will be utilized to operate the ongoing construction of the sewage treatment plant (STP) at Kasba Bawda. The tax ranges from 10% to 35%, depending upon the use of water. We have around 96,000 household water connections and can rake in Rs 1.2 crore as sewage management tax every two months," he added.
The civic body is constructing two STPs to treat 120 MLD sewage generated in the city. Work at the Kasba Bawda STP with a capacity to treat 76 MLD sewage has been started and it will become functional by December. The other one at Dhudhali (17 MLD capacity) will become operational by the middle of next year.
"The cash-strapped KMC i is not able to spend money to treat the sewage generated in the city. The STP at Kasba Bawda will incur an expenditure of around Rs 7 crore a year for its operation and maintenance. The expense is not feasible," a civic official said on condition of anonymity.
Besides household and commercial water connections, the sewage management tax will be charged on those using water from borewells. "We have started a survey of the bore-wells in the city. Its users will have to pay the tax as they are contributing to sewage generation," the official added.
The KMC's decision has irked the household consumers as the KMC had effected a 10% hike in water tax in June. The civic body charges Rs 190 per connection as rental charge for every bill and further charges are imposed depending on the use of water.
"I used to pay Rs 600 to Rs 800 as water tax every two months. It increased by around Rs 70 following the hike in the water tax. Now the KMC is saying that the sewage management tax will be added to the bills from this month. The budget will go for a toss," said Vasant Sawant, a resident of the Devakar Panand area.
Burhan Naikawadi, a civic activist, said, "Around 40 MLD of water is lost due to leakages and illegal connections. The KMC should take action on such connections and stop distribution losses. It is running short of money as it is lifting 120 MLD of water and charging for 120 MLD of water supplied to the city."
