Indian Express 21.01.2009
Water at subsidised rates for slums from April
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s general body on Tuesday passed a resolution to provide water to consumers residing in slums at subsidised rates, and also agreed to an increase in charges for commercial consumers.
Accordingly, people residing in slums would now have to pay Rs. 1.75 for every 1,000 litres of water while the commercial consumers would have to pay Rs. 35 for the same quantity. The resolution would come into effect from April 1, 2010.
There are a total of 67 slum areas in the township of Pimpri Chinchwad, a majority of which would now be demolished to make way for houses being built under slum rehabilitation schemes under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
While planning charges for water, it was decided that flat owners should be charged Rs 1,276 per year while slum dwellers be charged at Rs 885 per year. But after that, PCMC decided to introduced water meters and charge on the amount of the water used.
Later, following the guidelines of the central and the state government which stipulated that slum dwellers be supplied water at subsidised rate, municipal commissioner Ashesh Sharma decided to reduce water charges for consumers residing in slums.
Following which, it was proposed that slum dwellers be charged Rs 1.75 per 1,000 litres for water consumption upto 30,000 litres. While those who consume from 30,000 and above per year be charged Rs. 5.50 .
