The  Times of India              11.11.2010

State proposes to double water, sewage charges

CHANDIGARH/GURGAON: After giving a house tax shock to the urban population during last budget session, the state public health department is now planning to make a cut to your pocket by doubling water and sewage charges.

The public health department has already proposed to double the existing rates and the matter has been placed before the chief minister for his approval, said a highly placed source in the public health department.

While there could be some relief for cities like Panchkula or other HUDA managed urban estates, the move will mainly affect cities like Gurgaon and Faridabad. In urban estates like Panchkula HUDA collects such revenues whereas civic bodies are responsible for these charges in other cities.

The central governments condition of making the civic bodies like municipal corporations self sufficient for releasing the funds under Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) is being stated as be the main reason behind the rise in the charges.

The proposal of charging uniform tariff for civic bodies and HUDA urban estates, drafted by a committee headed by local bodies minister Mahender Partap Singh, is currently lying on the table of chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. As of now, HUDAs water charges are Rs3 per kiloliter for domestic supply of up to 30 kilometres and sewage charges are Rs8 per seat.

On the contrary, public health department charges Rs1.25 per kilolitre for domestic supply and Rs2.50 for commercial supply of water. The department charges Rs5 per seat as sewage charge.