The Times of India 13.09.2009
War within MC over water meters
CHANDIGARH: Once again, UT municipal commissioner Roshan Sunkaria and mayor Kamlesh are at loggerheads.
This time, the issue is related to installation of water meters in 22,000 houses in UT?s rehabilitation colonies, slums and villages.
The municipal corporation has been losing revenue worth crores of rupees annually for the past 10 years, as residents of these areas use water without paying for it.
The MC’s memorandum of understanding with the Centre requires it to take reformist measures for earning higher revenue if it wants to avail the grants under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Sunkaria has been supporting the installation of meters in these houses.
However, Congress councillors and the mayor are apparently not very supportive of the move.
Nominated councillor AP Sanwaria said, ‘We have raised this issue in MC house many times. However, the mayor is just not willing to allow discussion on the matter.’
Earlier, Kamlesh and Sunkaria had been in strong opposition when the mayor had sought certain powers. Sunkaria had not accepted that demand saying municipal rules did not allow for it.
Residents in urban areas of the UT have to pay for the water as houses there have meters installed.
Kamlesh said installing meters in colonies, slums and villages did not make sense as urban residents get far better supply.
‘The day they get supply like their urban counterparts, we will start charging them according to the meters. But certainly not before that,’ insisted the mayor.
Sunkaria admitted that the mayor had not been allowing the issue to be discussed in MC’s general house.
He stated they would try to have the matter raised during the MC house’s monthly meeting in September end.
