Urban News

This is not the first time that the civic body has postponed the decision to hike water tariff. The hike is part of the reforms that the Municipal Corporation has to implement under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission. In a communication to Municipal Commissioner Dr Roshan Sunkaria, Mayor Anu Chatrath has stated that the proposal should be revised.

The issue of the hike has been pending since last year. The initial proposal prepared by the officials was for the water tariffs to be almost doubled. The former mayor Kamlesh had not allowed the agenda to be brought up to the House for discussion. For grants under JNNURM to be regularly given to the civic body the reforms suggested have to be implemented.

However, there has always been a divided opinion between the officials and elected representatives on the issue. While the officials are in favour of a hike, the elected representatives have shown their reluctance for the same.

With the elections of the Municipal Corporation scheduled for next year, political parties are reluctant to take any such step. Chatrath said: “We had a meeting of Congress councillors. It was calculated that the actual hike in tariffs was much more than what the officials had stated. So we decided to withdraw the agenda from the House Meet. Further decision would be taken later.”