The Times of India       06.01.2011

KOLKATA: Though there may be differences between municipal affairs minister Asok Bhattacharya and Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee
on the introduction of water tax in Kolkata, both agree that water
meters need to be installed in the city to assess the consumption
pattern by residents in various areas and to eliminate colossal wastage
of potable water.

On Tuesday, Bhattacharya made it clear to municipal commissioner Arnab Roy that there was no escape’ route for KMC
authorities on installation of water meters and introduction of water
tax. Reacting to Bhattacharya’s reaction, the mayor said on Wednesday
that there was no plan to introduce water tax right now. But there was a
wide scope for installation of water meters, he said. Referring to a `9
crore grant sanctioned by the state government, a senior official of
the state urban development department said KMC authorities were
supposed to utilise the funds to buy water meters.

In fact, the
KMC authorities have asked the water supply department officials to
gear up for installation of water meters first in the water treatment
plants and booster pumping stations and subsequently in the highrise
buildings in select areas. As an experiment, the KMC authorities have
already installed water meters at Palta Water Treatment plant and Tallah
reservoir and booster pumping station.

Asian Development Bank
has agreed to disburse a second phase of loans to KMC for
infrastructure development on condition that the civic body give in
writing what steps it has taken to augment revenue from water supply.
Under pressure, the civic brass has asked the water supply department to
select some highrises to install water meters in phases. “So far, we
have been earning from industrial, commercial and institutional water
connections. Now we need to install water meters in the domestic
segment,” said a KMC official.