The Hindu        03.11.2014  

Water tariff increased across the board

Think before you water your garden or wash your car with a hosepipe. Water has become dear after Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) increased the tariff across the board effective from Sunday.

For the first time, all components of water tariff have been linked to consumption levels, with an aim to incentivise conservation of water.

While average domestic consumers will have to put up with a 20 per cent hike in tariff, those who exceed the average consumption levels will now feel the pinch as the tariff hike for this section is around 67 per cent.

The BWSSB, which has hiked water tariff after nine years, said in a press release that the move was necessary to bridge the revenue-expenditure gap and losses accumulated over the years. The decision to hike water tariff was taken at the October 20 board meeting.

Of the three components of the water bill — water charges, service charges and sanitary charges — service charges were Rs. 20 across the board for domestic connections. Now, even this has been linked to water consumption and can go up to Rs. 150. Sanitary charges, which were earlier 15 per cent of the water charges, have been hiked to 25 per cent. The minimum water bill for a domestic connection has gone up to Rs. 100 from the earlier Rs. 83.

Apartment complexes and group housings in the city that have bulk water supply connections have to now cough up Rs. 22 a kilolitre (kl) of water against Rs. 19 a kl earlier. The tariff for bulk water supply to industrial areas, including Kempegowda International Airport, has been hiked by about 30 per cent.

Non-domestic

A steep tariff increase has also been effected for non-domestic commercial connections. The minimum bill for a non-domestic connection has been hiked from Rs. 360 to Rs. 500.

The BWSSB has altered the consumption slabs based on which it bills consumption for non-domestic connections. It has brought down the slab for consumption for maximum tariff from 100 kl to 75 kl. Tariff has been increased around 30 to 40 per cent across all consumption slabs.

The Hindu          01.11.2014  

Ministry asks DDA to expedite mid-term review of Master Plan

The Ministry of Urban Development has asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to expedite the process of mid-term review of Master Plan Delhi-2021. This is in pursuance of the direction of Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu to ensure notification of changes required by the end of December 2014.

The progress in respect of the mid-term review by the DDA was on Thursday reviewed by Secretary (Urban Development) Shankar Aggarwal, DDA vice-chairman Balvinder Kumar, additional secretary (UD) Durga Shankar Mishra and senior officials of agencies concerned, including the Delhi Fire Service.

Mr. Aggarwal directed the DDA to place the chapter on environmental issues in public domain by November 3 to invite suggestions and views.

It was decided in the meeting that since by convention, rules applicable to Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone are applicable to Zone-D, the DDA will take the approval of Authority for Zonal Development Plan for Zone-D accordingly.

The issue of municipal agencies and the Delhi Fire Service not allowing construction beyond 15-m height despite a provision of 7.50-m height in the Master Plan was discussed. Delhi Fire Service officials have informed that under the relevant Act, they were required to go by the National Building Code, which refers to a maximum height of 15 m for construction. The fire service and the agencies he concerned were asked to move a proposal to the Ministry for resolving the issue.

Master Plan Delhi-2021, which was notified in February 2007, was to be reviewed within five years, keeping in view the changes during that period. The mid-term review started in 2011, but could not be concluded so far. Further to the mid-term review, changes in the Master Plan will be notified with the approval of the Ministry of Urban Development.

Last month, Mr. Naidu, had taken a serious view of the delay in concluding the mid-term review and directed the Ministry officials to ensure that this exercise was completed quickly and ensure notification of results of the review by the end of December 2014.